Antoine Fuqua has revealed that his only contact with Michael Jackson was a brief phone call and that the King of Pop simply wanted to say hello and tell him he liked his work.
speaks to Black like his Michael biopic opened to $97 million in the US and $217.4 million worldwide, the best opening weekend of his career, Fuqua reflected on the personal connection, or lack of one, he had with his subject.
Asked if he had ever met Jackson, the director was candid.
“No, just a phone call when I was considered as director of Remember the time. I was in Italy so I couldn’t help bid on it. He was a quiet, sweet guy. It wasn’t so much an audition or anything, it was more him saying hi and how much he liked my work. It was like he touched base with me. It wasn’t a long phone call.”
Fuqua came to the project through an unexpected path.
While working on Equalizer 3 along with cinematographer Bob Richardson, he was shown a photograph of Richardson alongside a figure who bore a striking resemblance to Jackson.
It turned out to be Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew, during a screen test.
“It blew me away,” Fuqua said. Producer Graham King subsequently flew out to meet him on the Amalfi Coast to discuss the film, and from there the director was on board.
The road to the finished film was not without significant complications.
The film’s original ending featured Jackson accuser Jordan Chandler, whose settlement with the singer’s estate legally prevented him from being depicted on screen.
The discovery came after production had wrapped, forcing 20 days of reshoots at an additional cost of $50 million, bringing the film’s total net production cost to $200 million.
Fuqua had to pass on other projects to accommodate the extra shooting.
He spoke to Black while traveling to Italy where he is currently shooting Hannibala Netflix feature starring Denzel Washington.
Fuqua has previously directed music videos for Toni Braxton, Stevie Wonder, Prince and Coolio, including the iconic one Gangsta’s paradise.
