Tiger Woods is encouraging producers to try and recruit Michael Jackson‘s nephew Jaafar Jackson to play him in an upcoming biopic, a source tells Globe.
Back in March, Variety revealed Amazon MGM Studios picked up the film rights to Kevin Cook‘s book The Tiger Slam, which traces the professional golfer’s early rise to fame, and that King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green is in talks to helm the movie adaptation.
Woods, 50, has “been at peace with the notion for a while now while also wondering who the heck would actually be qualified to play him,” says the source.
Enter Jaafar, 29.
“No matter what people thought about the Michael movie, the consensus is that Jaafar exceeded all expectations, deserves awards recognition for his performance, and showed incredible talent in his physical transformation on-screen,” the source notes.
Lionsgate Films
Michael broke the record for biggest opening weekend for a biopic, raking in $217 million globally — a figure that Variety reports could potentially near $1 billion by the end of its run.
Woods and the Amazon bosses backing his biopic “love the idea of Jaafar bringing the fan base he’s created with the Michael movie over to their project,” Globe‘s source reveals. “But the real question is what Jaafar actually wants to do next,” besides an upcoming Michael sequel.
“He has the look, he has the momentum, and Tiger Woods fans and critics alike are eager to see him tell another once-in-a-century life story,” says the source. “The job is his if he wants it!”
This story Tiger Woods Eyes Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar for Biopic Role: ‘The Job Is His If He Wants It’ first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here.