Nine-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi, who has posted videos of him dancing in Michael-inspired costumes, is cast in Antoine Fuqua's film which also stars the late singer's nephew Jaafar Jackson.
- Jan 19, 2024
AceShowbiz - Michael Jackson has found its young MJ in the singer's big fan. Juliano Krue Valdi, who has amassed nearly 150k followers on Instagram with videos of him dancing to the late singer's songs, has been cast for Antoine Fuqua's film about the late King of Pop.
Nine-year-old Juliano will star as the young version of the upcoming film, which is currently called "Michael". "This opportunity is really important to me because Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, and he is very special in my heart," the young star said in a statement about landing the role.
"I've been dancing to his songs for five years now," Juliano added, before showing his adoration to the real MJ, "He makes me feel really special and makes me feel good about myself. I love the energy of Michael Jackson."
"When Michael was very young - eleven years old - he astounded the world, possessing the spirit and talent of an adult. He was truly an old soul. He and Juliano have that in common," said producer Graham King. "Beyond being a phenomenal young talent, Juliano is deeply inspired by Michael and his music, and has managed to translate that inspiration into a presence and performance that captures the true magic of young Michael Jackson."
Antoine shared, "If anything, casting the role of the young Michael was more difficult than casting the adult role, because where do you find a child actor with the chops of the greatest entertainer who ever lived?" He went on explaining the decision to cast Juliano in the role, "In the end, that was our focus - talent - and we looked far and wide for an actor who could embody Michael's spirit through his voice, his charisma, and his dance skills. Juliano's undeniable, raw talent put him at the top of our list."
Michael's own nephew Jaafar Jackson, who is the son of Michael's elder brother Jermaine Jackson, was previously cast as the adult version of MJ for the movie. The movie is described as "the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop."
Antoine said in an interview with EW that he's "blown away" by Jaafar's "uncanny" resemblance to the late King of Pop. "It's uncanny how much he's like Michael," he said. "Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It's really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away."
Asked about his approach to the film, the director said, "Just to tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad, and the ugly."
King is set to produce the movie with the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. The film is set to be released in the United States on April 18, 2025, with production currently underway.
