‘Michael’ Main Characters: Where Are They Now?

The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” has only been in theaters for a few days, but it’s already shattering box office records.

It earned $97 million at the U.S. box office and $217 million globally.

It’s the biggest-ever opening for a musical biopic. The film follows Michael Jackson from his beginnings in Gary, Indiana with the Jackson 5, to his career as a solo artist on the “Bad” tour in 1988. Michael’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, absolutely nails the portrayal, with his mannerisms, dance movies, and soft-spoken voice.

The film featured many of the key players in Jackson’s life, some likely were known to fans (hello, Bubbles!), and others may have been lesser-known (bodyguard Bill).

That got us to wondering – where are they now?

1. Joseph Jackson. Colman Domingo played Michael’s father in the film and bears an uncanny resemblance to the man. The film does not portray Joseph in a positive light, he was domineering, abusive, and incredibly strict as the manager of the Jackson 5. Michael has claimed that the brothers were forced to practice while Joseph held a belt in his hand, and the film does portray several instances of Michael on the receiving end. Joseph Jackson died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. A close friend of Michael’s, biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli, told People magazine that Michael had totally forgiven Joseph before he died in 2009.
2. Katherine Jackson. Nią Long portrayed Michael’s mother in the film and their relationship is very close, often snuggled on the couch together watching old movies and eating ice cream. Katherine is now 95 and one of the film’s producers, Graham King, told ScreenRant that he visited with her after she watched the movie. “She was so moved, and said ‘That’s Michael.'”
3. Bill Bray, Michael’s bodyguard. KeiLyn Durrel Jones played the role of Michael’s longtime bodyguard in the film. Father Joseph hired him when the Jackson 5 started to take off and Bray would be a constant presence in Michael’s life. Bray worked for Jackson until the 1990s, and died at age 80 in 2005. At the time of his death, Reuters ran a report that said Bray and Michael “had a falling out in the mid-1990s for reasons that were never made public.”
4. John Branca, Michael’s manager. Miles Teller stepped into this role for the film. Branca first met Michael in 1980 after the success of his solo debut album Off The Wall. Branca was behind many of the biggest moments of Michael’s career: the Thriller video, his purchase of the Beatles catalog, and the purchase of his eventual home, Neverland Ranch. Branca split from Jackson in 1990, but came back three years later as the singer faced allegations of sexual battery. Branca resigned as Jackson’s adviser in 2006, but was rehired just days before Michael’s death on June 25, 2009. Branca is a co-executor of the Jackson estate. He is 75 years old.
5. Bubbles the chimpanzee. Michael rescued Bubbles from a Texas research facility in the 1980s and kept him as a pet. He moved with Michael to Neverland Ranch in 1988, but by 2003, he was deemed large, aggressive, and unsuitable as a pet. Bubbles was moved to a sanctuary in Florida, where he has lived ever since. Bubbles is now 43 years old, and the sanctuary told Variety that “he’s such a sweet, sweet guy. People still picture him as cute little baby with a pink face that Michael carried around. But he’s big boy now, about 170 pounds.” The film used CGI to portray Bubbles onscreen.

You may have also noticed there are some noticeable people missing from the biopic. Michael’s siblings Janet, Rebbie, and Randy are not in the film, and have not said why. However, sister LaToya Jackson told Variety that Janet “was asked and kindly declined. So you have to respect her wishes. I wish everybody was in the movie.” Director Antoine Fuqua said “She’s supportive of Jaafar and that’s what matters.”

The Jackson estate has also released a new music video for “Human Nature,” blending modern dancers with archival footage of Michael. Check it out!