Entertainment
Michael Jackson’s sordid family drama and their scandalous love triangle are back in the spotlight after the studio released a photo of his nephew playing the pop icon in the new film
Earlier this month, Lionsgate shocked the world by releasing a teaser for the upcoming film “Michael,” a Jackson family-authorized biopic chronicling the life of the legendary King of Pop, Michael J. Jackson. The prospect of this highly anticipated film, first announced in January 2023, captivated viewers who were wondering who would play Michael.
Taking on the role of the iconic star is Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew and son of his brother, Jermaine Jackson, who bears a striking resemblance to his late uncle.
Last month, photos emerged of Jaafar on stage in a recreation of his uncle’s iconic “Man in the Mirror” look from his legendary 1992-93 Dangerous Tour.
“Michael” “will give viewers a fascinating and honest portrait of the brilliant but complicated man who became the King of Pop,” he says official description of the film. “The film captures his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale – from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified in his most iconic performances. Like never before, viewers will have the opportunity to look inside one of the most influential and pioneering artists the world has ever seen.”
Both fans and critics agree that the 27-year-old is the perfect selection for the role. Except Jaafar looksthe young artist made his life singing and dancing, similar to the artist of “Thriller”.
However, with the spotlight shining on him, they return to controversial facets of the Jackson family, especially his mother, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza.
Alejandra, a Colombian model and designer, shares children with two brothers from the Jackson clan: Jermaine Jackson and Randy Jackson of The Jacksons. Making Jaafar her kid’s brother and cousin.
Mom tried to film a reality show with all the kids, however it never got off the air.
Alejandra first met Randy, the youngest brother of the Jackson family, in 1986, when she was a fashion student at UCLA. He was 24 years old then.
They dated for several years, during which they welcomed two children: Genevieve Katherine Jackson, born in 1989, and a son named Steven Randall Jackson Jr., born in 1992. However, Randy never married the mother of his children.
“Randy didn’t treat me like I was the one” – Alejandra he said.
She wasn’t the one for the former playboy. Randy later married Eliza Shaffy, whom he believed he loved, the same 12 months his daughter was born. However, the marriage ended in divorce the same 12 months his son with Alejandra was born. Randy and Eliza had a daughter together named Stevanna Jackson, born in 1990.
In addition to being a cheater, Randy was accused of being violent back in the day and was even charged with battery in 1991 for beating up Eliza and their 7-month-old baby.
He pleaded not guilty to harassment and was given a two-year probation and ordered to attend a domestic violence program. He didn’t complete the program and was arrested again later that 12 months after Eliza reported continued harassment.
Another woman Randy dated who claimed he physically abused her was Bernadette Swann. They dated in the Eighties, and once, after an alleged argument, she ran away from him and sought refuge in Tina Turner’s house. As the woman tried to flee Jackson, he allegedly broke into the “What’s Love Got to Do With It” singer’s property, prompting her to fireside a warning shot.
Turner selected to not press charges to avoid negative publicity.
Alejandra felt that Jermaine was the exact opposite of her brother and stated that he “was more of a family ace” told by Jackson family friend Stacy Brown for the New York Post in 2013.
The South American woman saw how her older brother treated his children and the women from his two previous relationships and thought her fate can be higher with him than with Randy.
The “Let’s Get Serious” singer was first married to Hazel Gordy, daughter of Motown founder Berry Gordy, and had three children: Jermaine La Jaune “Jay” Jackson Jr. in 1977, Autumn Joi Jackson in 1978 and Jaimy Jermaine Jackson in 1987.
He also fathered two children with one other woman, Margaret Maldonado. These children were Jeremy Maldonado Jackson in 1986, conceived during his marriage to Gordy, and Jourdynn Michael Jackson in 1989.
After divorcing Gordy in 1988 and splitting from Margaret, he began dating Alejandra in 1993, despite opposition from family members including his mother, Katherine Jackson, and younger brother Randy.
They married in 1995 and welcomed two children: Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson, born in 1996, and Jermajesty Jermaine Jackson, born in 2000.
After the wedding, Randy was furious.
“Joe Blow on the street, but my brother? In the same house?” he once said, according to Brown. He continued his tirade against Brown and even called Alejandro a “pig” and his brother a “stupid.”
Randy’s disgust spilled over into the way he provided for his children. He withheld child support for his children with Alejandra. Luckily, his brother stepped in and made sure to take care of them.
Although Jermaine respected his brother’s children, he held him in contempt.
“He’s an asshole. He shouldn’t let his feelings for me or Alejandra come between taking care of his children,” Jermaine told Brown. “He needs to deal with it, put all the little things behind him and act like a man.”
After raising 4 cousin siblings with Alejandra, Jermaine eventually grew drained of their relationship and began searching for one other partner. After converting to Islam, he married a second wife named Lawanda in 1999, in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Jermaine then split from Alejandra in 2004 after discovering that she had been married to a man named Nicholas Ray since 1987 in exchange for a green card after entering college. Since she was already married, her marriage to Jermaine was annulled.
A 12 months later, the star entered into one other legal marriage with Halima Rashid, a wealthy woman from the Middle East. Halima divorced him in 2016, after greater than a decade of marriage.
Despite how complicated the family tree is, the children appear to get along well and are well adjusted, as seen by their appearances on the reality show “The Jacksons: Next Generation.”
Those working on the new film appear to think Jaafar is exceptionally well-adjusted and embodied his uncle on the big screen.
“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life” – Antoine Fuqua, director of the biopic, he said Last 12 months’s variety. “When I first met Jaafar, there was an incredible bond, he has a natural ability to imitate Michael and great chemistry with the camera.”
The solid also includes Oscar nominee Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson’s father, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson’s mother and Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael.
Colman Domingo and Nia Long play Michael Jackson’s parents in his biopic. pic.twitter.com/PG3cDsqnoo
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 30, 2024
Graham King said he and his team conducted a worldwide casting call and couldn’t find anyone higher, telling Variety: “It was clear he was the only person to take on the role.” When King met him, he was “impressed by the way he organically embodied Michael’s spirit and personality,” he added.
The world will watch how successfully he copes with the media’s intrusion into his life, perhaps having inherited exceptional resilience from being raised in a family accustomed to regulate. What could seem strange to others is solely abnormal to him.
Entertainment
Simone Biles torn apart after giving George Strait’s wife a ‘vulgar look’ while fans came to her defense
Did Olympic gymnast Simone Biles cut George Strait’s wife’s eyes on the Country Music Awards?
Some people think so after a viral video of Biles, 27, showing her frustration within the audience on the 58th annual CMA Awards on November 20.
In several clips circulating online, the 27-year-old gave Strait’s wife, Norma Strait, a “dirty look” on the annual awards show where her husband was honored with the John Paul II Lifetime Achievement Award. Willie Nelson.
“Does anyone know if there is a dispute between Simone Biles and George Strait’s wife?” – one in all the X users asked on the evening of this system.
X’s post included a clip of Biles looking nervous as Norma and other attendees danced in the gang on the Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony tribute performance.
The tribute to the “King of Country Music” featured country stars Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum. Additionally, Chris Stapleton joined Strait on stage to walk through the “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” to conclude the segment.
Speculation about Biles’ possible disdain shown on the CMA Awards has turn into a topic of debate online, with fans and critics taking sides in the controversy.
“I watched it live and wondered the same thing, and then death looked up and down, she definitely hated!” answer on X platform he stated.
Original X poster he replied“As long as I’m not the only one who saw it.”
However, the legendary gymnast had her defenders. For example, user X sent“He’s probably just watching her reaction (honestly) without thinking about the cameras.”
“Nothing happened” – another person he argued. “George Strait’s wife doesn’t care about messy things like that. It looks like Simone could have a resting face. She wasn’t the one black person either. There are many Black people in country music, from singers to musicians.
George Strait, 72, makes a rare appearance with wife Norma on the 2024 CMA Awards #George #quarrel https://t.co/ua4Xcsjdsq pic.twitter.com/vYByc0Ub6k
— DHNDE (@dhndecom) November 21, 2024
Similar entry To read“I saw it and cringed, it’s just her face, but she should politely decline if she doesn’t like country music.”
Another fan he wrote“She probably saw the camera give attention to George Strait’s wife and just looked around curiously. I do not think she’s giving a mischievous have a look at all, she just looks like she’s noticed that the camera is specializing in the people next to her.
Despite questions on Biles’ on-screen response, the multiple-time world champion expressed her excitement to attend the 2024 CMA Awards on the day of the event.
Biles reposted photos from the evening on her Instagram Story. In one photo, shared by hairstylist Justin Revenge, the Olympic gold medalist showed off the short red dress she wore to the red carpet, in addition to the silver off-the-shoulder dress she wore to the CMA Gala.
The star of the Netflix docuseries “Simone Biles Rising” appeared at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville to present the Female Vocalist of the Year award to country singer Lainey Wilson.
Lainey Wilson won the Female Vocalist of the Year category, beating out fellow nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBryde, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves.
Biles herself had a successful 12 months as an athlete. The Texas native won 4 medals on the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, bringing her profession total to a record 11 victories for an American gymnast.
However, Vice President Kamala Harris couldn’t replicate Biles’ success because the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024. Harris lost to former President Donald Trump within the nationwide election.
Biles publicly called on current Democratic President Joe Biden to take a stand on behalf of American women before Republican MAGA leader Trump enters the White House on January 20, 2025.
“Mr. Biden, you need to stand up, straighten your back and shake some things up before you go… xoxo women of America,” the Olympian wrote on Twitter on November 6 in response to the election results.
Entertainment
What do you know about Cynthia Erivo?
With the discharge of Wicked fast approaching, it’s protected to say that Cynthia Erivo is on fire straight away.
The film adaptation of the Broadway musical (which is an adaptation of a best-selling novel based on one other novel) is about to open to over $175 million worldwide this weekend, and Erivo has just landed a significant deal.
Universal Pictures has struck a first-look cope with its production company Edith’s Daughter, Deadline reported.
“Having spent the last three years working with Donna Langley, Peter Cramer and the Universal team on Wicked, I have experienced first-hand the love and fearlessness with which they tell stories and uplift narrators,” said Erivo. “I am absolutely delighted to take the next step in our cooperation under our first-look agreement. This is not only a milestone for my production company, but also a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of diverse voices in film. I can’t wait to bring our visions to life and share them with the world!”
However, some could also be just discovering the 37-year-old from Stockwell, London (where she was born right into a family of Nigerian immigrants) or may don’t know about her background and profession to this point. There’s quite a bit to like about the Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner – and much more to grasp beneath the surface. Below we have gathered some things you have to know about Erivo, including some very necessary ones.
He is a Broadway sensation
Before Erivo became a star of the silver screen, she made a reputation for herself on the stage. The actress’ breakthrough role was the role of Celie within the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” on Broadway. From 2015 to 2017, she delivered critically acclaimed, groundbreaking performances, winning the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
She has played several iconic black characters
Aretha Franklin, Harriet Tubman and Recy Taylor are black American historical figures immortalized on screen by Erivo, who has played all of them in movies. Shortly after her Broadway run in 2017, Erivo played Taylor in “The Rape of Recy Taylor.” She then starred as Tubman within the 2019 film “Harriet.”
In 2021, Erivo played Franklin within the National Geographic anthology “Genius: Aretha”. While critics praised her performance, Franklin’s family had a special tackle the project, claiming she was never consulted and even felt “disrespected” by the production team.
He is a queer icon
Earlier this yr, Erivo received the Schrader Award from the Los Angeles LGBT Center as a self-proclaimed member for her talent and support of the queer community.
“Acknowledging that I am queer publicly – especially in the public eye – means taking a risk to claim my freedom,” she said in her speech through which she agreed to return out as queer later in life. “It seems we prefer to see the world in black and white rather than accept the difficult (but beautiful) complexities of our humanity.”
Although it has never been explicitly confirmed, Erivo has long been considered one half of a fairly powerful Black Hollywood power couple, as she is commonly seen at red carpet events alongside fellow industry heavyweight Lena Waithe.
He has a novel sense of fashion
From shaving her eyebrows to her signature long and ornamental nails, Erivo is understood for her daring sense of fashion. Her uniqueness was even incorporated into her makeup for “Wicked.” The makeup artist used stencils to attract eyebrows and add freckles. Meanwhile, a special shade of green face and body makeup was developed to make Erivo’s melaninated skin appear “clearly” on screen, and the shade was named “Cynthia Green,” the film’s makeup artist said People Magazine. It’s value noting that despite the hours-long application process required day by day for months of filming, she also said that Erivo “never, ever, ever complained.”
She doesn’t suffer fools
Social media was abuzz this week with response to actor/podcast host Dax Shepard’s invasive query about Erivo’s signature elaborate manicure, specifically how he moves through it while using the lavatory. When footage of her interview with Shepard hit the Internet, many individuals were quick to sentence its inappropriateness, asking her how she wipes herself while having very long, jeweled nails.
“My answer is that no one wipes their ass with just their fingers. You use wipes, right? And you wipe it off,” she replied calmly.
Erivo further expressed her annoyance with this query; the one she had exhibited before.
“I understand, it annoys me. Come on, guys,” she said. “I understand, but I’m a functioning adult and I’ve never walked around smelling like… you know.”
People participating within the discussion found this query rude, disgusting and invasive. It can also be, as Erivo identified, unoriginal. In response to this viral exchange, some have responded by demonstrating how they adapt these very human processes to long fingernails – and shockingly, it’s just about the identical process we have all been doing since potty training. It’s really not that complicated.
He has some questionable tweets in his search history
When it was announced in 2018 that Erivo would play Harriet Tubman within the biopic “Harriet,” the British actress’s seemingly problematic comments made years earlier about the language of Black Americans inevitably resurfaced. As previously reported by theGrio, this compounded existing questions about the choice to forged British-born Erivo because the historical African-American hero, given what some perceived as a disdain for African-American culture.
“As for the tweets, they were taken out of context, giving me no room to explain what they meant – and they weren’t actually mocking anyone,” she explained on the time: Complex reported. “It was not intended to be (offensive) at all. It was to celebrate a song I (wrote) when I was 16.”
Speaking further about the controversy during an event on the Toronto International Film Festival, she said: “I actually have never… never spoken negatively about people because I don’t desire to; I don’t desire this energy to be passed on to others.”
She continued: “I do not think it’s good for us in any respect; I do not think it serves any purpose apart from to bring negativity into my life and yours, and I just don’t desire that.
Perhaps he has some tension with the band in “The Color Purple.”
For unknown reasons, Erivo claims she was not invited to a special screening of the musical “The Color Purple” for family and friends, which was also attended by other members of her Broadway forged. It’s a bit strange that the Tony-winning revival star wasn’t on the guest list. When asked about her apparent rejection in the course of the interview and whether it reflected her initial considerations for Celie’s role within the film adaptation, Erivo suggested she couldn’t talk about it.
Despite every little thing, he’s capable of admit his mistake
Erivo can have had mixed emotions previously as a result of questionable comments or her unwavering passion for her craft, but she is ultimately capable of admit when she was incorrect. In the lead-up to Wicked’s premiere, fan-made art got here to light that edited the film’s poster to look more like the unique Broadway Playbill, obscuring Erivo’s direct gaze with the brim of her witch hat. The actress was initially very offended, but later admitted that she can have overreacted.
“I think for me it was a human moment…” she later explained. “I probably should have called my friends, but I’m fine.”
After all, she is an expert
Say what you want, but Cynthia Erivo is robust and talented. He can also be a one that is alleged to place the nice of the team ahead of his personal glory. During a recent appearance on “Cutting room floor” podcast, she described her technique of coming into harmony together with her “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande and the way the 2 worked together to create a unified sound fairly than resorting to diva-like behavior in an try and outshine one another.
For example, although she and Grande have very different voices, Erivo noted that what they’ve in common is way more necessary.
“I think what connects us is the way we hear music, so we can hear each other,” she explained. “And the beauty of singing with someone who can also hear is that you follow each other back and forth. We can find ways to make our textures and sounds make sense, and that’s really hard with humans.”
Erivo added: “It also signifies that you found someone completely selfless because they care about working with you, and being an element of that’s essentially the most amazing thing. When you find someone who’s committed to creating sound together, (there may be) no ego.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg Takes Over ‘Amazon Music Live’ in Season 3 Finale – Essence
Snoop Dogg attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Gladiator II” held on the TCL Chinese Theater on November 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
When Snoop Dogg takes the stage at Amazon Music Live on November 29, it is the moment hip-hop fans have been waiting for. The West Coast legend ends Season 3 with a performance that guarantees to be nothing in need of legendary.
Airing after Black Friday Football at 7pm EST on Prime Video and Twitchthe show will showcase his expansive musical journey, combining chart toppers with deep cuts that defined a complete generation.
Sponsored by the brand new 2025 Nissan Kicks, fans can expect an exclusive first hearken to songs from his upcoming album ‘Missionary’, which might be released next month. The announcement comes at a critical point in Snoop’s profession and marks the following evolution of an artist who moves seamlessly between music, acting and entrepreneurship.
Amazon Music Live has change into a powerhouse of musical innovation, and Snoop’s final performance epitomizes what it’s all about. Throughout Season 3, the series featured standout moments from artists resembling Jelly Roll, who brought together country and rock stars for an epic performance, and Big Sean, who paid tribute to historically black colleges and universities together with his breathtaking tribute .
For those that wish to have fun in advance and luxuriate in the final word Snoop experience, Amazon Music has REDISCOVER Snoop Dogg playlist it’s the proper foundation. It’s a musical time capsule chronicling his journey from the Long Beach underground scene to world-famous superstardom. Each track tells the story of an artist who not only survived in the music industry, but fundamentally modified it.
With 16 Grammy nominations to his name, Snoop continues to prove that he’s greater than only a rapper – he’s a real entertainment icon. His influence extends far beyond music, touching on film, television, cannabis culture and entrepreneurship. The Black Friday performance might be the following chapter in a profession defined by constant reinvention.
The performance isn’t only about music – it’s also a presentation of, amongst others, recent nissan kicks 2025. As an official sponsor of Amazon Music Live, the compact crossover was integrated throughout the season, giving fans a glimpse of its modern style and advanced technologies through pre-show and in-person experiences on the show.
For those in the Los Angeles area, a limited variety of tickets can be found from DICE. But for everybody else, Prime Video and Twitch will bring the magic of Doggfather right to your screen. It’s a probability to see a living legend in top form, delivering a performance that guarantees to be as unpredictable and electrifying as Snoop himself.
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