Nia Long says portraying Katherine Jackson in ‘Michael’ was ‘opportunity of a lifetime’

<figure><img src=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/syndication.abcaudio.com/files/2025-10-20/Getty_NiaLong_102025.png” alt=””><figcaption>Nia Long attends the New York City Ballet 2025 Spring Gala at Lincoln Center on May 8, 2025, in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure><p class=”p1″><strong>Nia Long</strong> has experience as a mother, but she’s never raised a superstar. That temporarily changes on screen, where she’s set to portray <strong>Katherine Jackson</strong> in the upcoming biopic <em>Michael</em>.</p><p class=”p2″>“I know what it is to be a mother,” she says in an interview <a href=”https://people.com/nia-long-michael-jackson-strong-mom-katherine-biopic-exclusive-11831659″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>with <em>People</em></a>. “But I don’t know what it is to raise a superstar.”</p><p class=”p2″>She describes Katherine’s story as one “rooted in grace,” and says that it seems the matriarch of the Jackson family has a “strong and kind” spirit.</p><p class=”p2″>Though she has not seen the film or met Katherine in person, Nia hopes Katherine enjoys the movie, which she describes as “an opportunity of a lifetime — and not&nbsp;<em>kind of&nbsp;</em>a dream come true, a dream come true.”</p><p class=”p1″>“All of these wonderful things are happening at once, and … I haven’t wrapped my head around everything yet,” she&nbsp;<span class=”s1″>tells&nbsp;</span><em><span class=”s1″>People</span></em>. “I know I’ve worked really hard for everything, but it hasn’t landed yet. It still feels not real. … I’m feeling really, really blessed right now.”</p><p class=”p1”><em>Michael</em>, which stars<em>&nbsp;</em>MJ’s nephew and <strong>Jermaine Jackson</strong>’s son&nbsp;<strong>Jafaar Jackson</strong>&nbsp;as the King of Pop, arrives in theaters on April 24, 2026.</p><p>Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.</p>