Why Janet Jackson Isn't in 'Michael'-and Who Is
The entertainment industry is full of famous families, from the Kardashians to the Coppolas, but few are as iconic as the Jacksons. Made up of ten talented siblings, the musical clan birthed pop-culture titans like Michael Jackson andJanet Jackson and produced one of the most successful family bands in music history in The Jackson 5.
And many of those family members (albeit dramatized versions) are now on the big screen with the release of the musical biopic Michael, which stars Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and chronicles the legendary performer's early days with The Jackson 5 in the 1960s through his astonishing solo career in the late 1970s and early '80s.
Hitting theaters stateside today-Friday, April 24-the Antoine Fuqua-directed bio-drama was made with the approval of and involvement by the Jackson family as well as Michael Jackson's estate. The Jackson dynasty, including MJ's siblingsLa Toya, Marlon, Jermaine and Jackie, came out to support the film at its Los Angeles premiere.
"I think it's very important that everybody in the family was involved and took part in this to make sure you get it right," La Toya Jackson told The Hollywood Reporter at the event. "A lot of times people think they know the story and they read about things, but when the family's involved, the family can say yay or nay."
But not every Jackson is in the movie. Michael's famous sister Janet declined to participate, and his daughter Paris Jackson has spoken out against the film's "fantasy" portrayal of her father. With Michael in theaters now, here's which Jacksons made it onscreen, who worked behind the scenes-and who stayed away entirely.
Why Isn't Janet Jackson in the 'Michael' movie?
You'll see many of the Jackson siblings depicted in the film-but not Janet. The 59-year-old star simply chose not to be. At the Los Angeles premiere of Michael, sister La Toya Jackson confirmed that Janet had been asked to participate but declined the invitation.
"I wish everybody was in the movie," La Toya told Variety. "She was asked and she kindly declined, so you have to respect her wishes."
Fuqua-the film's director-also addressed Janet's absence. "I would love Janet to be there," he told Variety. "I have so much respect and love for Janet, but you know it's okay. She's supportive of Jaafar and that's what matters."
Janet has not publicly commented on her decision. Michael's younger brother Randy-who joined The Jackson 5 in 1975-is not depicted in the film either.
Which Jackson family members are in the Michael movie?
The new biopic Michael depicts several members of the Jackson family-including Michael Jackson (played by Michael's real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson), his parents Joe and Katherine (portrayed by Colman Domingo andNia Long, respectively) and his siblings Jermaine (Jamal R. Henderson as an adult and Jayden Harville as a child), Marlon (Tre Horton as an adult and Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as a child), Tito (Rhyan Hill as an adult and Judah Edwards as a child), Jackie (Joseph David-Jones as an adult and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as a child) and La Toya (Jessica Sula).
Onscreen, Jaafar Jackson is the only actual family member to appear in the film; however, Michael's eldest son Prince Jacksonserved as an executive producer on the project and the production received input from the larger Jackson clan. Two notable women in the Jackson family distanced themselves from the film: Michael's famous sister Janet Jackson, who declined to participate, and his only daughter Paris Jackson, who criticized the film's "fantasy" portrayal of her father.
"They're going to make whatever they're going to make," Paris wrote on social media in since-expired posts last September, per The Guardian. "A 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 the fantasy, and they're gonna be happy with it."
Who are the members of the Jackson family?
Led by parents Joe Jackson and Katherine Jackson, the Jackson family consists of ten siblings: Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Brandon, Michael, Randy and Janet. The following generation includes Michael Jackson's childrenPrince, Paris and Bigi, Tito Jackson's sons Taj, Taryll and TJ (who comprise the R&B group 3T) and Jermaine's son Jaafar Jackson, who portrays his world-famous uncle in the new Michael movie.
Related: When Stardom Is the Family Business: Hollywood Nepo Babies
What is the Jackson family known for?
Called the "Royal Family of Pop," the Jacksons are one of the entertainment industry's most iconic families, thanks to the success of the musical group The Jackson 5-comprised of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and later Randy-which produced such hit songs as "I Want You Back," "I'll Be There," "ABC" and "The Love You Save," among others. Plus, the group launched the legendary solo careers of Michael and Janet Jackson.
Michael, in particular, became one of the most influential performers in history, and is responsible for the best-selling album of all time, 1982's Thriller. Overall, six members of the Jackson family have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The Jackson 5 bandmates as well as Janet, with Michael inducted both as a solo artist in addition to his group induction.
How old are the Jacksons in order?
In order from oldest to youngest, the Jackson siblings include:
- Rebbie (born 1950)
- Jackie (born 1951)
- Tito (born 1953)
- Jermaine (born 1954)
- La Toya (born 1956)
- Marlon (born 1957)
- Brandon (born 1957; Marlon's twin who died at birth)
- Michael (born 1958)
- Randy (born 1961)
- Janet (born 1966)
What is the Jackson family's net worth?
Though the exact overall net worth of the Jackson family is unknown, it's certainly in the hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks to the massive fortune of both the late Michael Jackson's estate (which has reportedly generated $2 billion since the singer died in 2009) and the sizable net worth of sister Janet, estimated at a cool $180 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
How many of the Jackson siblings have passed away?
Three of the ten Jackson siblings have died. Brandon Jackson, twin to Marlon, died on March 13, 1957, one day after his birth in Gary, Indiana; the cause of death was respiratory failure.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, after suffering cardiac arrest at his home. The music legend died of acute propofol intoxication, which was later ruled a homicide; his personal physician Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in November 2011 and was released in 2013 after serving two years of his four-year prison sentence, for good behavior.
And older brother Tito Jackson died in 2024, after suffering a fatal heart attack in Gallup, New Mexico on September 15. He was 70 years old.
Seven of the ten Jackson siblings are still alive: Rebbie, Jackie, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 3:06 AM.