Michael Jackson’s sons Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson–formerly known as Blanket–stepped out in support of their late father’s upcoming biopic Michael at its Berlin premiere on Friday. One noticeable absence, though, was their sister Paris Jackson, who did not attend the screening.
The brothers were joined by several family members, including Jermaine Jackson and Randy Jackson, as they celebrated the film’s debut. The movie, which reportedly cost around $150 million, is set to hit theaters on April 22.
Bigi, 24, kept things stylish in a suit that included a subtle nod to his dad’s famous moonwalk, while Prince, 29, also looked polished as they smiled for photos alongside co-stars Miles Teller and Nia Long. It was very much a family moment, especially with Jermaine’s son Jaafar Jackson front and center as he takes on the role of his iconic uncle in the film.
Still, Paris’ absence stood out, especially since it came shortly after reports surfaced that she has “come to believe that the stories about her father being a pedophile are likely true.”
Her decision not to attend also follows her recent criticism of the biopic. Paris has called the project “dishonest” and described it as a “fantasy,” while also speaking out against the executors of her father’s estate who are backing the film.
Her ongoing legal issues with co-executors John Branca and John McClain have added another layer to the situation. Paris has accused them of mismanaging finances, lacking transparency, and mishandling estate resources since Jackson’s death in 2009.
Although she has reportedly received around $65 million from the estate, she believes its lawyers may have taken excessive fees over the years. She has also questioned why Branca and McClain are still in charge so long after her father’s death at age 50 from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication at his Los Angeles home.
Paris has also taken issue with how estate funds are being used, claiming they were tapped to support risky entertainment projects, including the Michael biopic itself. She called it “troubling” that such a large portion of the film’s $150 million budget may have come from the estate, even referring to the movie as a “botched production.”
© Getty Images for Vanity FairShe didn’t hold back when it came to casting choices either, questioning the decision to have Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller play Branca in the film and saying it’s “unclear how this peculiar and presumably costly casting decision will result in commensurate box office receipts.”
Back in September, Paris shared on Instagram that she had read an early draft of the script and offered feedback on parts she felt were dishonest.
“Read one of the first drafts of the script and gave my notes about what was dishonest / didn’t sit right with me and when they didn’t address it i moved on with my life. not my monkeys not my circus. god bless and god speed.”
She also explained why she stayed quiet for so long, saying, “They’re gonna make whatever they’re gonna make. The big reason why I haven’t said anything up until this point is because I know a lot of you guys are gonna be happy with it.”
“The film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in a fantasy, and they’re gonna be happy with it.”
Paris made it clear she had no involvement in the project and admitted she’s generally not a fan of biopics.
“The thing about these biopics is it’s Hollywood. It’s fantasy land — it’s not real,’ she said. “But it’s sold to you as real, and a lot of sugar-coated… the narrative is being controlled. There’s a lot of inaccuracy and there’s a lot of full-blown lies. At the end of the day, that doesn’t really fly with me. I don’t really like dishonesty.”
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