*Lionsgate along with Universal Pictures International (UPI) announced today that eight actors have been cast to play Michael Jackson’s brothers in the Jackson 5 – Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and Jackie – as the characters age in the upcoming epic Michael Jackson biopic “Michael.”
The actors are:
| Early Years | Later Years | |
| Michael | Juliano Krue Valdi | Jaafar Jackson |
| Jermaine | Jayden Harville | Jamal R. Henderson |
| Marlon | Jaylen Lyndon Hunter | Tre Horton |
| Tito | Judah Edwards | Rhyan Hill |
| Jackie | Nathaniel Logan McIntyre | Joseph David-Jones |
“The truly epic nature of this film required a total of ten actors with the talent to portray the Jackson 5 through the years,” said King. “I’m thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of actors and performers to worldwide audiences in this film.”
Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International have slated the worldwide release for April 18th, 2025. The film is now in production.
Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson will be introduced to worldwide audiences in the starring role of the beloved musical icon with Juliano Krue Valdi as the younger Michael. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer films) will direct the film with Oscar® winner Graham King/GK Films (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Aviator, The Departed) producing, from a script by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan.
Michael will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became known worldwide as the King of Pop. The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, captured by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.
Michael will be produced by King and the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. Lionsgate is distributing the film domestically, while Universal Pictures International will handle all territories apart from Japan, which Lionsgate will oversee.
Additional biographical information about the new cast members is below.
YOUNGER JACKSON 5 BROTHERS
JAYDEN HARVILLE (YOUNG JERMAINE)
Jayden Harville, age 15, born in Newport Beach, California, is making his film debut as Young Jermaine Jackson. Harville began his career with Disney Jr. in a commercial for “Doc McStuffins” at age 5. In addition, Harville has been featured in advertisements for Got Milk, the NFL, Koosh products, and a recurring role in Nickelodeon’sComedy Incubator.
JAYLEN LYNDON HUNTER (YOUNG MARLON)
Jaylen Lyndon Hunter is a 13-year-old singer, actor, songwriter, and dancer, born in Granada, Spain. He attended Young Actors Guild, where he started his acting journey at the age of seven in Memphis, Tennessee. He made his Broadway debut with Disney’s “The Lion King” as Young Simba on the National Rafiki Tour from 2021-2023. Hunter previously played Young Marlon on the first National Tour of “MJ: The Musical,” where he also served as an understudy for the role of Young Michael.
JUDAH EDWARDS (YOUNG TITO)
Judah Edwards hails from South Orange, NJ, and has been acting since a young age. Edwards can be seen in various projects, including “Saint X” (Hulu), and voices characters in “ADA Twist” (Netflix), “Blaze And The Monster Machines” (Nickelodeon), “Dee & Friends in Oz” (Netflix), and the podcast “Six Minutes Out of Time.”
NATHANIEL LOGAN McINTYRE (YOUNG JACKIE)
New Yorker Nathaniel Logan McIntyre is known for his series regular role as Seren in the Oprah Winfrey Network series “David Makes Man.” He also played the lead in the Disney+ movie Magic Camp, directed by Mark Waters, and had a role in the Netflix original feature Barry, which tells the story of the early life of President Barack Obama. His modeling campaigns include Toys R Us, DKNY, and Benetton, and his commercial work includes HP Hood and Disney’s Be Inspired. His other television credits include The Biography Channel’s “Ghost Stories,” “30 Rock,” and Nickelodeon’s “Tickety Toc” and “Umizoomi.” He played Young Simba on tour in Disney’s “The Lion King” before continuing the role on Broadway.
OLDER JACKSON 5 BROTHERS
JAMAL R. HENDERSON (JERMAINE)
Jamal R. Henderson is a multi-hyphenate talent who originally got his professional start in modeling. He transitioned over to being an actor after an appearance on Netflix’s hit series “Mindhunter.” From there, he starred as the lead in the BET feature “South Central Love.”
TRE HORTON (MARLON)
Tre Horton made a chance audition at the age of eight – to play an orphan in his school’s production of “Annie” – setting in motion a chain of events that would put his life on a new trajectory. Horton immediately fell in love with the stage and hasn’t looked back since, training in dance, singing, and acting for many years. His previous roles include Luke in “Amen Corner,” Ritchie in “A Chorus Line,” and Lefou in “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as numerous television & film productions.
RHYAN HILL (TITO)
Rhyan Hill is a dynamic young actor known for his series regular role as Devontae on BET+’s “The Michael Blackson Show.” He also appeared in the hit series “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Lovecraft Country.” A multi-talented performer, Hill has also made waves in the dance world with a featured performance in Childish Gambino’s iconic “This Is America” video; he has also shared the stage with such acclaimed artists as Lil Uzi Vert, BeBe Rexha, and MC Hammer.
JOSEPH DAVID-JONES (JACKIE)
This fall, Joseph David-Jones can next be seen starring in The CW’s highly anticipated series “The 4400,” a reimagining of the 2004 USA Network sci-fi drama. He previously appeared in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit” and in “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” opposite Denzel Washington and Colin Farrell. He also co-starred in Lionsgate’s “The Divergent Series: Allegiant.” In television, David-Jones is well known for his starring role as Connor Hawke AKA The Green Arrow on The CW’s longstanding action-superhero series “Arrow” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.” He also appeared on CMT’s hit series “Nashville.”
About Lionsgate:
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription, and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 20,000+ title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.
About GK Fi
GK Films is one of the foremost creative forces in both major motion pictures and independent features. Helmed by Academy Award-winning producer, Graham King, the company has produced and executive produced more than 45 films, grossing over $1.8 billion at the domestic box office and over $4.6 billion worldwide. Heralded by critics and film groups, GK Films’ projects have been nominated for 71Academy Awards, 42 Golden Globe Awards and 66 British Academy Film Awards, among other accolades. The company produced the 2018 global phenomenon “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which earned star Rami Malek an Oscar® for his jaw-dropping portrayal of Freddie Mercury and is the second highest grossing musical biopic of all time. Previous GK Films projects include Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime drama, THE DEPARTED, which garnered King the Best Picture Academy Award as a producer. Additionally, GK Films produced the critically acclaimed films WORLD WAR Z, ARGO, HUGO, RANGO, THE TOWN and TOMB RAIDER, as well as TRAFFIC, THE AVIATOR, GANGS OF NEW YORK, ALI and BLOOD DIAMOND. Up next, the company is producing the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic MICHAEL and is in development on the story of the Bee Gees for the big screen.
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