Colman Domingo has responded to Paris Jackson after she publicly pushed back against his claims that she had supported the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. The actor, who plays family patriarch Joe Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael,” said he hopes Paris will “eventually love the tribute” made to her late father — a notably measured response to what became a very public dispute.

Paris Jackson had been clear: she read an early draft of the script, raised concerns about inaccuracies, and walked away when her notes went unaddressed. So when Domingo told People that she and her brother Prince were “very much in support” of the film, she took to Instagram Stories to set the record straight — and didn’t hold back. The back-and-forth that followed put a spotlight on a tension that runs through almost every celebrity biopic: the gap between the story a studio wants to tell and the truth the people closest to the subject actually lived.

What Paris Jackson Actually Said

Paris responded directly on Instagram, writing: “Don’t be telling people I was ‘helpful’ on the set of a movie I had 0% involvement in. That is so weird. I read one of the first drafts of the script and gave my notes about what was dishonest and didn’t sit right with me, and when they didn’t address it, I moved on with my life.” The tone reflected her frustrations, but in a composed manner. It was less of a tantrum and more of a correction.

She didn’t stop there. In follow-up videos, Paris went further, addressing the nature of biopics as a format. She said: “The thing about these biopics is — it’s Hollywood. It’s a fantasy land. It’s not real, but it’s sold to you as real. The narrative is being controlled, and there’s a lot of inaccuracy, and there’s a lot of just full-blown lies.” She was careful to acknowledge that fans would likely enjoy the film anyway, almost preemptively releasing the audience from any obligation to take her side. Her closing line was characteristically blunt: “Y’all are gonna like the movie. So watch it. Enjoy it. Do whatever. Leave me out of it.” 

She also clarified that she had met Domingo only twice, once at a birthday party and once at the amfAR gala, and that both were brief. The suggestion that those encounters constituted meaningful involvement in the film was, in her view, a stretch.

Colman Domingo’s Response and Where Things Stand

To his credit, Domingo didn’t fire back. He told WSJ Magazine that his People comments were “conflated” and “taken out of context,” and revealed that the article was later updated to capture what he said more fully. He also disclosed that he sent Paris a direct message on Instagram, and that she responded with a heart emoji. It’s a small detail, but a meaningful one. The two apparently aren’t at war, even if the public exchange suggested otherwise.

What Domingo did double down on was his belief in the film itself. He told WSJ: “I hope that she eventually loves the tribute that we made about her father.” It’s a generous framing — presenting the biopic not as a commercial product but as an act of reverence. Whether Paris sees it that way remains to be seen.

What This Means for the Michael Biopic

The film has had a complicated road to release. “Michael” was originally slated for April 2025 before requiring 22 days of reshoots, pushing it first to October 2025 and then to its current April 24, 2026 release date. Reports indicate the reshoots centred on the film’s third act, which deals with the child molestation accusations against Jackson. A second film tracking the rest of Jackson’s career is also reportedly in development.

The cast is formidable — Jackson’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson plays Michael, with Domingo as Joe, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, and Miles Teller also features. The Jackson estate is involved and supportive, which gives the project institutional backing even as Paris Jackson maintains her distance. Her position is clear and, when you hear it laid out in full, entirely reasonable: she tried to contribute honestly, wasn’t heard, and chose to step back. Paris Jackson isn’t asking anyone to boycott the film — she’s simply asking not to be used to sell it.

Featured image: Photographer Venice | Colmandomingo.com

“Michael” Biopic Trailer Drops: The King Of Pop Returns To The Big Screen