Paris Jackson Disputes Biopic‘s Account of Her Involvement, Criticizes “Sugar-Coated” Portrayal of Michael Jackson
Los Angeles, CA – Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, publicly refuted claims made by the director of an upcoming biopic about her father, Leon Domingo, regarding her contribution to the film. Jackson took to Instagram Tuesday night to express her disapproval of Domingo’s assertion that she was “helpful” during production, stating her involvement was minimal and focused on providing early script feedback that was ultimately disregarded.Jackson clarified that she reviewed a draft of the script and offered notes on perceived inaccuracies, but withdrew from the project when those concerns weren’t addressed. “Don’t be telling people I was ’helpful’ on the set of a movie I had zero per cent involvement in lol that is so weird,” she wrote.”I read one of the first drafts of the script and gave my notes about what was dishonest / didn’t sit right with me, and when they didn’t address it, I moved on with my life. Not my monkeys, not my circus. God bless and God speed.”
Expanding on her position in subsequent Instagram stories, Jackson explained she was informed her feedback would not influence the film’s direction. She acknowledged the biopic is highly likely to appeal to a segment of her father’s fanbase who prefer a more idealized narrative. “A big section of the film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy, and they’re gonna be happy with it,” she said.Jackson further criticized the broader trend of “sugar-coated” Hollywood biopics, asserting the upcoming film contains ”a lot of inaccuracy and…full-blown lies.” She emphasized her desire to distance herself from a project she believes prioritizes narrative control over factual representation.”go enjoy it.Do whatever. Leave me out of it,” she concluded.
The biopic, produced in conjunction with the Jackson estate, has been in development since at least 2019.Production has faced scrutiny,with Puck magazine reporting in 2023 that rewrites and reshoots were considered due to legal issues surrounding a planned storyline involving one of Michael Jackson’s accusers. A source close to the production disputed the report,telling people magazine that claims of the film being in “total chaos” were untrue.
Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, will portray the pop star in the film, which also stars Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Kat Graham. Michael is currently scheduled for release on April 24, 2026.
the Guardian has reached out to Domingo and the biopic’s production company for comment.
