Jaafar Jackson is wasting no time building on the success of his breakout Hollywood debut.
Fresh off his acclaimed performance as his late uncle Michael Jackson in the blockbuster biopic Michael, the American actor has landed his next major feature film role.
Jackson will star alongside Academy Award winner Will Smith and actress AnnaSophia Robb in the upcoming action thriller Supermax.
The film, directed by David Gordon Green, is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax and will premiere globally on Prime Video.
Although the studio has yet to reveal details about Jackson’s character, the casting marks another significant milestone in the 30-year-old’s fast-rising acting career.
Before stepping into Hollywood, Jaafar Jackson was primarily known as a singer and dancer.
Born on July 25, 1996, in Los Angeles, California, he is the son of singer-songwriter Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. Growing up in the legendary Jackson family, music naturally became his first passion.
In 2019, he released his debut pop and R&B single, Got Me Singing, introducing himself as a recording artist while gradually developing his own identity outside the family’s famous legacy.
However, it was his casting as Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael that transformed his career.
Taking on the role of one of the world’s most celebrated entertainers came with enormous expectations, but Jackson’s performance earned widespread praise from critics and audiences alike.
His portrayal captured Michael Jackson’s signature dance routines, vocal style and stage presence, while also exploring the complexities of the late pop icon’s personal life.
The film went on to become a global box office phenomenon, surpassing the $1 billion mark and establishing itself as the highest-grossing biographical film of all time.
The commercial success of Michael also introduced Jaafar Jackson to an international audience, firmly positioning him among Hollywood’s emerging young stars.
In Supermax, he will share the screen with Will Smith, who leads the cast alongside AnnaSophia Robb.
The action thriller revolves around an investigation into a mysterious murder inside one of the world’s most secure prisons. Smith and Robb portray FBI agents assigned to solve the seemingly impossible crime, setting the stage for a suspense-filled story combining action and mystery.
While Amazon MGM Studios has kept details about Jackson’s character under wraps, his inclusion in the project reflects growing confidence in his acting abilities following the success of Michael.
The screenplay was written by David Weil and David J. Rosen, while David Gordon Green serves as director.
Production is expected to begin later this month.
The film will also offer his first opportunity to showcase his versatility outside the shadow of his famous uncle, taking on an original character in a large-scale Hollywood production.
