Top 10 Things The Michael Jackson Biopic Got Factually Right And Wrong

#10: MTV Refused to Play the “Billie Jean” Video

RIGHT

In the network’s early years, MTV’s rotation was dominated by white rock acts, and “Billie Jean” was not treated as an obvious fit for the channel. That changed when the song became too big to ignore. CBS Records chief Walter Yetnikoff pushed MTV to air the video, reportedly threatening to pull the label’s other artists from the network if Jackson continued to be shut out. Once “Billie Jean” entered rotation, the dam broke. However, the scene in which Yetnikoff, played in the biopic by Mike Myers, chews out MTV executive Bob Pittman is disputed by Les Garland, then MTV Networks’ senior executive vice president of programming. Garland told Billboard there was “never a threat from Walter Yetnikoff,” saying that he “got more upset because we didn’t play Willie Nelson or Barbra Streisand.”

#9: Michael Adopted Bubbles in 1981

WRONG

Bubbles is such a famous part of Michael’s mythology that it’s easy to forget the timeline. But 1981 is too early. Bubbles was born in 1983, which obviously means Michael couldn’t have adopted him in 1981, before Thriller was even released. Reports differ on the exact details, but the better-supported general timeline places Bubbles entering Jackson’s life in the mid-1980s. Placing Bubbles this early makes Jackson’s eccentric image seem more established than it really was during the Off the Wall and early Thriller years. The movie is clearly interested in Michael’s loneliness, but this is one case where the symbol may have been pulled forward for thematic convenience.

#8: Suzanne de Passe Discovered the Jackson 5

WRONG

Berry Gordy’s creative assistant (played in “Michael” by Laura Harrier) was absolutely important to the Jackson 5’s Motown story, but calling her the person who “discovered” them oversimplifies the record. The stronger historical claim belongs to Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers. Taylor saw the Jackson 5 at Chicago’s Regal Theatre, helped bring them into Motown’s orbit, and played a key role in arranging their initial audition. De Passe then became an important internal advocate at Motown, helping move the group through the system and into Berry Gordy’s attention — she even designed the family band’s wardrobe! But the version of events depicted in the film, in which Joe Jackson creeps her out backstage, isn’t the real deal.

#7: Michael Surprise-Announced the Jacksons’ Breakup

RIGHT

This one sounds too theatrical to be true, but it really happened — more or less. The 1984 Victory Tour was complicated by money disputes, pressure from promoters, Michael’s discomfort with the project, and the obvious fact that he had outgrown the group after Thriller. At the December 9, 1984 concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Michael announced that it would be the last time the brothers would perform together, catching at least some of the family off guard. That moment effectively ended plans for more touring legs and marked a decisive break between Michael Jackson, global solo superstar, and Michael Jackson, member of the Jacksons. With that said, though, there’s no evidence to suggest that Michael dramatically severed ties with his father after the performance.

#6: The Jackson 5 Sang “Never Can Say Goodbye” for Motown

WRONG

“Michael” uses “Never Can Say Goodbye” as the Jackson 5’s big Motown breakthrough number, but the truth is: that song was still years away. Written by Clifton Davis, the track was recorded by the Jackson 5 in 1970 and released as a single in 1971, eventually reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In other words, it couldn’t have been part of the group’s pre-Motown audition or early showcase material. Historically, the Jackson 5’s appeal to Motown was rooted in their explosive live energy, tight harmonies, and ability to channel the soul showmanship of acts like James Brown.

#5: Berry Gordy Was Michael’s Mentor

RIGHT

During the Jackson 5’s Motown years, the head of the label was crucial. The film shows Gordy guiding Michael through the early Motown machine, and that tracks with the broader reality of how Motown worked. Gordy’s label didn’t simply release records. It trained, packaged, groomed, and refined performers for mass appeal. For a child star like Michael, that environment was formative. Motown taught him and his family professionalism, crossover strategy, stage discipline, and the mechanics of pop stardom. The movie is right to present Gordy as a warmer counterweight to Joseph: still a businessman, absolutely — but also someone who helped Michael understand how raw talent becomes a record, a brand, and eventually, a phenomenon.

#4: Joe Jackson Was Fired by Fax

WRONG

This is the kind of biopic detail that feels perfect on screen because it gives a messy professional break a titillating cinematic treatment. Michael hired John Branca, took control of his business life, and his father got pushed out by fax. The problem is that the power shift is true, but the exact “fired by fax” version appears to be dramatized. Branca did become a major figure in Michael’s career, and the movie is right that Michael’s adult independence required significantly loosening Joseph’s grip. By the “Off the Wall” and “Thriller” eras, Michael was no longer just the child star managed by his father. He was becoming a solo artist with his own lawyer, producer, label relationships, and creative ambitions.

#3: The Number of Jackson Children

WRONG

Joseph and Katherine Jackson had ten children together: Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Brandon, Michael, Randy, and Janet. Brandon, Marlon’s twin brother, died shortly after birth, which is why the Jackson household is usually discussed in terms of the nine surviving children. But Janet Jackson isn’t depicted in the film, despite being Michael’s youngest sibling and one of the most famous members of the family in her own right. Vanity Fair notes that her career as an actress and pop star was already underway during the period the film covers. To be fair, Janet was born in 1966, so she would have been quite young during much of the Jackson 5’s early rise. Still, omitting her might leave some viewers scratching their heads.

#2: Joseph Was Physically & Verbally Abusive

RIGHT

The movie’s portrayal of Joseph Jackson as harsh, intimidating, and abusive isn’t simply Hollywood dramatization. Michael Jackson spoke publicly and extensively about his father’s treatment, and other Jackson family members also described Joseph’s severe discipline. Joseph himself often defended his methods as necessary, arguing that he kept his children away from danger and pushed them toward greatness. But that defense doesn’t erase what Michael said the experience did to him. The film is strongest when it shows the awful contradiction at the center of the Jackson family story: Joseph helped build one of the most successful entertainment dynasties in history, but he did it through fear, control, and emotional pressure.

#1: Michael Cast Actual Gang Members for the “Beat It” Video

RIGHT

Unbelievable as it may sound, “Michael” is on solid ground here. The “Beat It” short film really did bring actual Los Angeles gang members onto the set, alongside actors and professional dancers. The idea reportedly came from Michael Jackson himself, who wanted the video’s anti-violence message to feel rooted in something more authentic than studio tough-guy posturing. Director Bob Giraldi and choreographer Michael Peters then shaped that raw premise into one of the defining music videos of the 1980. Accounts of the shoot commonly note that members of rival gangs, often identified as Bloods and Crips, were recruited through local production contacts and used mainly for atmosphere, while trained dancers handled the more precise choreography.

Do you think “Michael” handled the facts fairly, or did it bend the story too much? Be sure to let us know in the comments.