Questlove Surprised by Emotional Impact of ‘Michael’
When Questlove first watched Michael, he expected to focus on what the film got wrong. Instead, he found himself drawn to what it got right. In an Instagram post shared…
When Questlove first watched Michael, he expected to focus on what the film got wrong. Instead, he found himself drawn to what it got right.
In an Instagram post shared April 20, he said the film stands out because it shifts attention away from myth and toward the person behind it. Rather than presenting Michael Jackson as an untouchable icon, it shows him as human.
Looking Beyond the Legend
“For the first time, we aren’t looking at ‘THE KING’—we’re looking at a human being,” Questlove wrote. “It’s a side of him a lot of us seemed to forget after 1984.”
At the start, he approached the film like a dedicated fan, noticing small inaccuracies. “Wrong year,” he remembered thinking. “Song wasn’t out yet.” “He didn’t wear that jacket until…” Over time, though, those details mattered less.
“I eventually put my weapons down,” he wrote. “Because they captured the SOUL of it all & gave him back his humanity.”
A Different Approach to the Story
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael traces Jackson’s life from his early years in the Jackson 5 through the Bad era. The film arrives in theaters April 24 after delays, reshoots, and ongoing discussion about how his story should be told.
Fuqua has said he wanted to go beyond a collection of hit songs and instead show the person behind the fame. He spent more than two years working on the project and has described Jackson as an artist who reshaped music and culture.
“Michael just transcends any artist I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Fuqua said earlier this month.
The Cast Focuses on Authenticity
The cast shared that same goal. Jaafar Jackson said he aimed to capture his uncle’s “true essence” rather than simply imitate him.
Nia Long, who plays Katherine Jackson, described him as “such a real person” and said the team wanted to honor that side of him.
Why It Resonates
For Questlove, that focus on humanity is what makes the film effective.
“If this is the final word on his legacy,” he wrote, “showing his humanity was more important to me than any technical faux pas.”
He also suggested the film could have a wider impact, comparing its potential influence to what Thriller did for music in 1982.
“This film might do for the movie business what Thriller did for records,” Questlove wrote.
A Lasting Impression
By the end of his post, his reaction was clear.
“I’m going back to see it again,” Questlove wrote. “And again.”
