Michael Jackson’s Nephew Addresses Assumption That the Pop Icon Wanted to Be White

Michael Jackson’s drastic change in appearance is as synonymous with his legacy as his music and contributions to pop culture. But his nephew, Jafaar Jackson, who stars as the King of Pop in the upcoming biopic Michael, says his uncle’s aesthetic is the biggest misconception. 

MJ did go under the knife many times, with many insiders claiming he had an addiction to plastic surgery. But he also was open about a skin conidition he dealt with throughout his life: vitiligo. 

“I would say that he wanted to be white. That’s a big misconception, and this film gives you that understanding of what that is, you know, that vitiligo played a part in his life, and not a lot of people really understand what that is and he was dealing with that from an early age,” Jafaar said in an exclusive with Extra.

According to Mayo Clinic, vitiligo is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth. Normally, the color of hair and skin is determined by melanin.

There are several causes for the disease, including having an autoimmune condition, a family history of the disease, and a trigger event, such as stress, severe sunburn or skin trauma, such as contact with a chemical. 

MJ famously suffered burns while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984, which many have wondered if it contributed to his vitiligo. He spent his time recovering at the Southern California Hospital at Culver City. Following his recovery in the burn unit, he gave his insurance payment to the hospital and, later the same year, the care unit for burn victims was named the “Michael Jackson Burn Center,” but it closed in August 1987 due to financial problems.