The 12-year-old actor recounts bonding with costar Colman Domingo and winning $50 off of director Antoine Fuqua.

Young Michael star Juliano Krue Valdi shares sweet memories from Michael Jackson biopic set (exclusive)

The 12-year-old actor recounts bonding with costar Colman Domingo and winning $50 off of director Antoine Fuqua.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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June 11, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

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Juliano Krue Valdi and Colman Domingo behind the scenes on 'Michael'. Credit:

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

- Juliano Valdi takes EW behind-the-scenes of *Michael*, the biopic about the King of Pop.

- The 12-year-old portrays Michael Jackson during his early days as a Motown star in the Jackson 5.

- Valdi recounts the joys of working with Colman Domingo, getting pooped on by a rat, and winning $50 from director Antoine Fuqua.

Landing the role of young Michael Jackson was a dream come true for Juliano Krue Valdi.

Still, nothing could have prepared him for what it would feel like to see himself dressed up as the King of Pop.

"It was so surreal because I just thought that I *was* Michael," Krue tells ** of seeing himself in full hair and makeup for the very first time. "I had a second to look at myself in the mirror right before I was gonna film the 'ABC' scene, and I just remember thinking that I looked so cool and that I was about to make everyone proud."

In *Michael*, Valdi shares the titular role of the iconic singer with Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson. While the elder actor plays the part for most of the film — which traces Michael's rise to fame — Valdi is the version of the star we first meet. Through him, we watch Michael evolve into a full-fledged star after being signed to Motown Records as part of the Jackson 5.

Juliano Krue Valdi in 'Michael'.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

Before he scored the role, Valdi was already an MJ diehard, having amassed nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram, where he shares videos of himself dancing to MJ hits and donning Jackson-inspired clothing. But pulling off his Michael impression on the big screen was a much bigger deal.

"I just got straight to work and started putting [on] a lot of videos of his interviews, of him talking, of him dancing and moving just to get, like, his voice down," Valdi shares. "I had to work for hours and hours every single day."

Since his moonwalk was locked and loaded from day one, the biggest challenge Valdi faced wasn't nailing the dance moves or even warming up his vocals: it was portraying Michael's complicated relationship to his father, Joe Jackson, a physically abusive patriarch who used corporal punishment to discipline his children.

Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in 'Michael'.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

Valdi shares that one of the film's earliest scenes, in which Joe beats Michael during a Jackson 5 rehearsal, was difficult for him to get through. "It was just really hard to have certain emotions because, you know, this happened to Michael quite often, but doesn't happen to me [at all]," the young actor explains.

Despite the struggle, Valdi says that working alongside Domingo made those scenes "pretty fun" because the two-time Oscar nominee brought a level of intensity that pushed the young actor forward. "He really helped me through those," Valdi says.

On the subject of Domingo, Valdi is all smiles, ready with several anecdotes of the fun they got up to on set together. One of his favorite memories is a recurring bit that they would do whenever Domingo would dare to glance at his phone in between takes of their '60s-set scenes.

Colman Domingo, Juliano Krue Valdi, Nia Long, and Director Antoine Fuqua in 'Michael'.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

"It would be hilarious because I'd tell him, 'You can't use your phone because we're in the 1960s," Valdi recalls. "'You can cause an intergalactic clash of universes of universes that were never supposed to happen.' And then he'd just hide it in the couch because he'd be like, 'What are you talking about? You're crazy.'"

Despite all their bonding, Valdi admits that he struggled to place Domingo the first time he saw him without the huge eyebrows and afro that complete the Joe Jackson get-up.

"I couldn't recognize him on the elevator after wrapping," Valdi recalls. "He was like, 'Hey, how's it going?' And then I was like," he says, pausing and mimicking a suspicious side eye, "'Hey, I don't know who you are.'  It was a pretty funny moment."

On the subject of fun memories, Valdi also can't resist bragging about winning a bet against his acclaimed director, Antoine Fuqua.

Choreographer Rich Talauega, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, and Choreographer Tone Talauega in 'Michael'.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

"I was filming with my rat and the director, Antoine, he said, 'You're totally gonna— I bet, I'll bet 50 bucks that you'll mess up this scene' as like a joke," Valdi explains. "And the rest of the cast crew betted otherwise. They thought I was gonna do great."

When it came time to wrap for the day, Valdi says, "Antoine told me how good I did— and he actually gave me $50. And I still have it to this day."

Producer Graham King, Juliano Krue Valdi, and Director Antoine Fuqua in 'Michael'.

Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Lionsgate

With the $50 ready on his person, Valdi holds it up and declares, "I don't plan on spending it ever."

As for what it was like working with his rodent costar, Valdi says it "wasn't so difficult," though the rodent did "poop and pee" on him that same day.

Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ in 'Michael'.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

Laughing, he says, "It was kind of nasty, but he was still really cool because I've never held a rat before.… It was easy to work with him— besides the pooping and peeing part."

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The *Michael* experience — which marked Valdi's entry into Hollywood — ended on a bittersweet note for the young actor, who admits to feeling a complicated mix of emotions when it was all over.

"It was really sad, but it was also, you know, I just was also really proud at the same time," he says of his final day on set. "I knew that I was about to be on the big screen, and I was excited for my face to be in the theater. So it was kind of like a sad, happy type of feeling."

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