Fez — GQ Middle East has unveiled Jaafar Jackson as the cover star of its September 2026 issue, months after his portrayal of Michael Jackson turned his first major acting role into a global breakthrough.
The magazine published its cover story today, focusing on Jackson’s relationship with fame, family legacy, and the three years he spent preparing to play his late uncle in “Michael.”
The role placed the 29-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson at the center of one of 2026’s biggest films.
Box Office Mojo records more than $1.01 billion (MAD 9.2 billion) in worldwide ticket sales for “Michael,” including over $372 million (MAD 3.4 billion) in North America.
Jaafar’s performance also stood out, even as the film itself divided critics over its approach to Michael Jackson’s life.
Many describe his work as the element holding the biopic together, highlighting his ability to recreate his uncle without reducing the performance to imitation.
Growing up with the Jackson name
The GQ profile also looks at the moment Jaafar first realized that his family meant something very different to the outside world.
He recalled being five years old at Madison Square Garden when his father and uncles reunited onstage during celebrations marking Michael Jackson’s 30 years as a solo performer.
Jaafar told the magazine that the deafening reaction from the audience was the first moment he realized his uncles were more than just relatives he saw at family gatherings.
Before music or acting entered the picture, Jaafar had his sights set on a career as a professional golfer. That changed in his early teens, when Jermaine encouraged him and his younger brother to learn and perform a Jackson 5 song.
That experience encouraged Jaafar to pursue music and eventually develop his own artistic identity. Acting came later, when producer Graham King approached him during the development of “Michael.”
After three years spent studying archival material, Michael’s movements, collaborators, writing, and performances, Jaafar says the experience unexpectedly changed his own ambitions.
He explained that portraying Michael fulfilled part of his earlier desire to build a career as a singer and performer.
Now, he is more drawn to challenging acting roles that demand significant physical and psychological transformation.
The shift is already taking shape. Deadline reported earlier this month that Jackson has joined Will Smith in the upcoming action thriller “Supermax.”
What Jaafar wants from ‘Michael 2’
His work as Michael Jackson is not finished.
In May, Lionsgate confirmed that work on a second film was moving forward, with studio film chief Adam Fogelson noting that there is substantial ground to cover in Michael Jackson’s story and music catalog.
The first movie ends around the “Bad” era, leaving decades of Jackson’s life for a potential sequel.
That means a second film could also delve into some of the more controversial chapters of Jackson’s life, including the child sexual abuse allegations that emerged in the 1990s. Jackson denied the allegations throughout his lifetime.
Jaafar said the sequel’s screenplay remains in development and emphasized that he does not control what it includes.
He hopes the film will offer more insight into his uncle’s perspective on the events that shaped his later years.
