'Michael' Omits a Key Sibling of Michael Jackson's From the Story Completely

Because of his status as one of the biggest stars in the history of pop, Michael Jackson remains a subject of fascination and controversy even more than 15 years after his death. Now, Michael is attempting to emphasize the rosiest parts of Jackson's legacy, and is being criticized for all the things about his life that were left on the cutting-room floor (namely, his relationships with young boys).

In addition to that notable omission, the film also failed to include any detail about Janet Jackson, Michael's most famous sibling, who doesn't even appear as a character in the story. After seeing the film, some people wanted to understand why. Here's what we know.

As it turns out, Janet was not in the movie because she didn't want to be. “I wish everybody was in the movie,” Jackson sibling LaToya Jackson told Variety. “She was asked, and she kindly declined, so you have to respect her wishes."

Janet also didn't attend the premiere, and it seems like she has tried to disentangle herself from the Jackson family more generally in recent years.

Jackson's nephew Jafaar Jackson plays Michael, and director Antoine Fuqua said that Janet has been supportive of him, even though she didn't agree to be portrayed in the film.

“I have so much respect and love for Janet, but you know it’s OK. She’s supportive of Jaafar, and that’s what matters," he said. We don't know exactly why Janet has worked to distance herself from the film, but she's not the only member of the family who isn't on board.

Although Michael's son Prince is serving as an executive producer on the project, his other children Bigi and Paris are not involved. In a video posted to social media, Paris said that the movie doesn't offer a truthful account of her father's life.

“The film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy. And they’re going to be happy with it," she said.

Janet's absence from Michael is not the only reason the movie has made headlines. Many people have been critical of the film because it doesn't acknowledge in any way the allegations that he had sexual relationships with multiple young boys. The 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland explored those allegations in detail through the stories of two men who claimed to be victims.

Dan Reed, the director of Leaving Neverland, told The Hollywood Reporter that there was no way to tell the story of Michael Jackson without acknowledging these allegations.

"How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?" he said.

"I just don’t really see it. If anyone’s making money, it’s Michael Jackson’s estate and the people who worked on this biographical picture," he added. "Wade and James, the protagonists of Leaving Neverland, have never made a cent from their accusations."