Juliano Valdi Sounds Like a Young Jackson in ‘Michael', But Is Valdi Really Singing?
One of the most anticipated movies of 2026 is, without a doubt, Michael, the Michael Jackson film written by John Logan and directed by Antoine Fuqua. The "King of Pop" was a legend in life and has remained one in the years since his passing, so the excitement surrounding his authorized biopic isn't entirely a surprise.
As we inch closer to the movie's April 24th premiere date, press coverage is ramping up, and more promotional clips from Michael are being released. One clip in particular has people talking. No, it's not of star Jaafar Jackson, who portrays the adult version of his uncle (although Jaafar has been receiving lots of applause for his performance). In this particular video, it's Juliano Valdi who shines, and it has people wondering if Valdi is just that superb as a young Michael or if movie magic is really afoot.
Is Juliano Valdi Really Singing in ‘Michael'?
Before answering that question, it's best to look at the footage in question first. In exclusive footage from Extra, Valdi is a young Michael in the studio with Barry Gordy (Larenz Tate) recording a vocal for The Jackson 5's classic hit, "ABC." Take a look at it below.
JUST IN: A snippet of a clip of child actor Juliano Valdi is circulating online and has people blown away by how well he portrays a young Michael Jackson and even sounds like him.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 15, 2026
Also, Jaafar Jackson revealed in a recent interview that because they filmed different eras of… pic.twitter.com/OrMoVbCeEM
Now, it may only be a 10-second video, but it's an impressive 10 seconds. The vocals sound so much like Michael at that age that people on social media are both wowed, but also questioning if it's Valdi singing or rather it's an old recording of Michael.
Is that Juliano singing after the track cuts off? OMFG???
— STREAM GDLU (@hazelsv_) April 14, 2026
Juliano Valdi truly captured the spirit of young Michael Jackson. #MichaelMovie
— JosephMoonWalkers (@JosephMoonWalk) April 14, 2026
Well, according to Extra, "the movie [Michael] blends Juliano and Michael's voices together." That may not add a heck of a lot of clarity as far as the clip is concerned. However, personally speaking, given that the music stops in the video while the young Michael character continues singing, I tend to believe that the vocals belong to Valdi here. Which means, Valdi is just that good. So kudos to him.
Once again, Michael debuts in theaters nationwide on April 24. You're able to purchase your ticket for the film now.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 7:22 PM.