Michael star Nia Long admits the reshoots that reshaped the Michael Jackson film were “heartbreaking.”
The 55-year-old actress, who plays Jackson Family matriarch Katherine Jackson in the biopic alongside Jaafar Jackson as his late uncle has opened up about the issues which plagued the Antoine Fuqua-directed film.
After producers realised they were unable to legally depict scenes relating to child s*x abuse allegations first levelled at the late Thriller singer back in the 1990s, it led to millions of dollars being spent on reshoots as filmmakers crafted a new ending with the movie finishing with Michael Jackson at the height of his fame instead of in his later years.
However, Nia Long is adamant she’s happy with how the movie turned out and told Variety, “In the original version of the film, there were scenes that didn’t quite work with this cut, that were deleted but may be revisited; I’m not really sure.”
“That’s part of filmmaking. The performances have to work with the storytelling, and sometimes things change, and it can be heartbreaking, but I’m very happy with the film as it stands today,” she added.
Nia went on to insist the cut scenes may eventually make it onto the big screen as part of a sequel, adding, “There were scenes with Jaafar and me; they were cut mostly because of the time period that this film covers. They were scenes at Neverland [Ranch]. So maybe they’ll come back if we do, in fact, do a sequel.”
Michael revolves around the life of Michael Jackson from his early years in the Jackson 5 through to the success of albums including Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.
It also explores his relationship with his father Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, though it concludes in 1987 and does not cover later child abuse allegations made against Michael Jackson.
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