We Asked You: Do You Think Jaafar Jackson Deserves Awards Recognition for ‘Michael’? Here Are the Results

The Michael Jackson biopic universe took decades to actually make it to the big screen, but ‘Michael‘ finally arrived this spring after years of stalled attempts and false starts. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film traces the King of Pop’s journey from his earliest days performing with the Jackson 5 through his rise to one of the most iconic entertainers in history.

At the center of it all is Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s real-life nephew, making his acting debut in the title role.

The casting itself carried enormous weight before a single frame was shot, since Jaafar is the son of Jermaine Jackson and was reportedly approved for the part by his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, who said he embodies her uncle.

Fuqua only locked in the casting decision after a lengthy search, and that long runway of preparation appears to be paying off in a very real way. The film has continued posting strong numbers around the world months after release, closing in on the 900 million dollar mark globally and putting it within reach of a billion dollar haul.

So with all that momentum building, we decided to ask you directly whether Jaafar Jackson deserves awards recognition for his performance, and the response was about as one sided as it gets. An overwhelming 96 percent of respondents said his performance has been incredible and deserves the recognition, leaving almost no room for debate among the people who voted.

The remaining responses were scattered in tiny fractions. Just 1 percent said they need to see the film before deciding, another 1 percent felt the awards conversation is more about honoring Michael Jackson’s legacy than Jaafar’s actual acting work, and only 2 percent felt other performances from this awards season deserved more attention. Taken together, that leaves virtually the entire audience firmly in Jaafar’s corner.

That kind of near-unanimous support tracks with what has already been happening on the awards circuit. Jaafar took home Best Actor at the 2026 Astra Midseason Movie Awards, a win that arrived even as the film itself faced a rocky ride with critics, sitting at a modest 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite that reception, industry observers have kept pointing to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ as a precedent for how a divisive music biopic can still translate into major acting nominations, and Jaafar’s performance appears to be following a similar path.

Not every critic has been dismissive, either. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman offered praise for the lead performance in his review, noting that Jaafar gets Michael’s tentative, high-sugary voice just right. That kind of recognition from a major outlet gives the awards case some genuine critical backing, even if the film as a whole has divided reviewers.

Much of the ongoing conversation has centered specifically on Jaafar’s recreation of the ‘Bad’ tour performance, with fans repeatedly circulating side-by-side comparisons of his rehearsal footage against Michael Jackson’s actual 1988 concert. Those clips have continued fueling online arguments that any award heading Jaafar’s way is fully earned, regardless of how the broader film has been received critically.

That gap between audience enthusiasm and critical consensus seems to be exactly what our poll captured, with fans overwhelmingly siding with the performance itself rather than the reviews surrounding it.

Whether that support translates into actual nominations once the fall awards season kicks into gear remains to be seen, but the numbers suggest the audience has already made up its mind. For a first-time actor stepping into one of the most scrutinized roles imaginable, that level of backing is a remarkable way to begin a career.

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