The red carpet was rolled out at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday evening. Several members of the Jackson family posed for photos. But two very famous faces were nowhere to be found. Janet Jackson and Paris Jackson both skipped the Michael premiere, leaving fans and photographers wondering why.
Michael’s brothers, Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie, and La Toya all made appearances. His son, Prince, 29, walked the carpet looking polished in a classic black suit with a red button-down shirt. Prince served as a producer on the film. Jaafar Jackson, Jermaine’s son, who plays Michael in the biopic, was also present. The turnout from the family was significant. But the absence of Janet and Paris was impossible to ignore.
The reasons for the skip appear to be different for each woman. Janet has reportedly had issues with the project from the start. Sources say she attended a private family screening in early March and was critical of nearly every scene. The acting, the makeup, and even how the actors walked. Jermaine allegedly told her she was “jealous” and needed to “get on the wave.” Variety has also reported that Janet is not a character in the film at all.
Paris, 28, has been even more vocal. Last September, she took to Instagram to distance herself from the project. She said she read an early draft of the script, gave notes on what was “dishonest,” and when those notes weren’t addressed, she moved on. “Not my monkeys, not my circus,” she wrote. She called parts of the film “sugarcoated” and said there were “full-blown lies” in the narrative.
The divide isn’t just about one movie. Janet and Paris are currently involved in separate legal battles with Michael’s estate. Their absence from the premiere speaks to deeper tensions that have been building for years. Bigi, Michael’s youngest son, skipped the LA event as well, though he attended the Berlin premiere earlier this month.
The film hits theaters on April 24. The family may not be united on the red carpet. But the story of their division is already stealing headlines.
