Jaafar Jackson’s Awards Sweep Continues as ‘Michael’ Star Adds Three More Trophies To His Shelf
Jaafar Jackson’s journey into acting started with a phone call he never expected to receive, and in the months since, that unlikely origin story has only grown more remarkable. The 29-year-old had no formal training and no real interest in performing when producer Graham King first reached out about playing his uncle Michael Jackson on screen.
By the time Jaafar landed the role, he had spent years working with acting coaches and Michael’s own choreographers to prepare for a part that would have intimidated even seasoned performers. He told Extra at the film’s Los Angeles premiere that the experience of finally bringing that preparation to the screen was something he would never get to feel again, calling it a defining moment in his life.
That payoff has now translated into a genuine awards sweep. Jaafar took home Best Actor at the 2026 Astra Midseason Movie Awards, beating out a field that included Chiwetel Ejiofor for ‘Backrooms,’ Ralph Fiennes for ’28 Years Later, The Bone Temple,’ and Ryan Gosling for ‘Project Hail Mary,’ who finished as runner-up.
Just two days later, Jaafar added two more trophies at the National Film Awards UK, winning both Outstanding Performance and Best Newcomer for his work in ‘Michael.’ Since that ceremony relies entirely on public voting rather than critics or industry panels, the wins reflect just how strongly everyday audiences responded to his performance, not only insiders within the film community.
The film’s producing team also picked up hardware that night, with Graham King, John Branca, Prince Jackson, and John McClain winning Best Producer for their work bringing ‘Michael’ to the screen. It marked the third trophy of the evening tied to the film, underscoring just how thoroughly the project has resonated since its release.
None of this recognition was guaranteed given Jaafar’s complete lack of acting background before landing the role. His only prior screen credit before ‘Michael’ was an appearance on the 2015 reality series ‘The Jacksons, Next Generation,’ making the leap to headlining a major studio biopic an enormous risk for everyone involved.
King, who also produced ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ has spoken about how unconventional Jaafar’s path to the role actually was, since Jaafar skipped a traditional audition entirely and instead sent King a voice note of himself speaking in character as Michael. That gamble paid off in a way few could have predicted, and the ensuing casting process stretched across multiple years of intensive coaching before Jaafar was officially confirmed for the part.
Beyond Jaafar’s personal wins, ‘Michael’ has become one of the defining box office stories of the year, recently overtaking “Oppenheimer” to become the highest grossing biopic in film history. That commercial success has run in parallel with the awards momentum, giving the film both box office validation and growing industry recognition at the same time.
Jaafar’s performance earned him a nomination for the same Best Actor category from the Hollywood Creative Alliance well before the traditional fall campaign season typically begins, a sign that awards watchers are already taking his chances seriously heading into the bigger ceremonies later this year. Whether that momentum eventually extends to nominations from the Golden Globes or other major bodies remains to be seen, but this early haul gives him about as strong a starting point as any first-time actor could hope for.
For a performer who once dreamed of being a professional golfer rather than an actor, watching his uncle’s story unfold through his own performance has clearly meant something deeply personal. That authenticity appears to be exactly what has resonated with both audiences and voters alike.
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