Richmond and Anthony “Tone” Talauega first worked with Michael Jackson as teenage dancers. More than three decades later, their knowledge became essential to transforming his nephew Jaafar Jackson for the film Michael.
The filmmakers behind Michael could reproduce Michael Jackson’s costumes, rebuild his homes and concert stages, and use makeup and visual effects to alter an actor’s appearance.
But recreating the way Michael moved required people who had experienced his artistry firsthand.
For that, the production turned to Samoan brothers Richmond “Rich” Talauega and Anthony “Tone” Talauega — dancers and choreographers who had performed beside Jackson and understood the subtle physical language behind one of history’s most recognisable entertainers.
Their work was not simply about teaching Jaafar Jackson how to moonwalk, spin or strike familiar poses. It involved passing on knowledge gained directly from Michael to the nephew chosen to portray him.
From a Samoan family to Michael Jackson’s stage
The Talauega brothers grew up in Richmond, California, in a large Samoan family with roots in the American Samoan villages of Pava‘ia‘i and Sa‘ilele.
Their path into entertainment began while they were teenagers. After being discovered by Michael Jackson choreographer Travis Payne while freestyle dancing at a music-industry event in Oakland, the brothers moved to Los Angeles and soon began performing with major artists.
Michael Jackson’s HIStory era became one of their first major international platforms. Their relationship with him later extended beyond dancing, including choreography connected to the 2001 short film and music video You Rock My World.
Rich and Tone experienced how Michael rehearsed, interpreted music, corrected movement and demanded precision. That knowledge later placed them among the artists entrusted with preserving his performance style.
Following Jackson’s death in 2009, they contributed choreography to Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson. The Immortal World Tour and its Las Vegas production, Michael Jackson ONE. They were also involved in developing the movement for the Broadway production MJ the Musical.
Their work focused not only on famous routines but on the principles beneath them. Where Michael carried his weight, how he used stillness, the position of his hands, the angle of his shoulders and the way he regained his centre after a spin.
That experience made them central to one of the greatest challenges facing the makers of Michael. It determines whether Jaafar Jackson could convincingly portray his uncle on stage.
Testing whether Jaafar could become Michael
Jaafar, the son of Jermaine Jackson, had the family resemblance and a musical background, but he entered the production without professional acting credits or extensive formal dance training.
Producer Graham King needed to know whether he could physically carry a film containing numerous concert and performance sequences.
Rich and Tone were asked to assess him.
They used “Billie Jean” as an early test, examining whether Jaafar could remain within the rhythm, reproduce Michael’s posture and command a stage naturally.
The first assessment was difficult.
After approximately one week, the brothers were not convinced that Jaafar possessed the rhythm, control or movement vocabulary required for the role.
When Jaafar learned of their concerns, he asked for another three weeks.
During that period, his improvement and determination began to change their minds. He later invited members of the team to Hayvenhurst, the Jackson family estate, where he performed as Michael for about 20 minutes.
The performance helped convince them that he could develop into the role.
Their judgement was therefore important before filming had even begun. They were not simply brought in to polish an already completed performance. They helped determine whether the film’s central transformation was possible.
Teaching the details behind the famous moves
Jaafar’s preparation continued for more than two years.
Rich and Tone trained him to understand Michael’s physical instincts rather than assemble a collection of recognisable poses. They worked on his hands, hips, posture, timing and weight transfer.
One particular challenge was Michael’s spin.
The brothers explained that Michael could lean into a turn and instinctively bring his body back to centre, allowing him to remain upright and continue spinning with energy. Without that correction, a performer could begin rotating at an angle.
The production also brought in specialists in ballet and popping. Jaafar sometimes trained for several hours across different disciplines and could spend long periods attempting to perfect a single movement.
“There were moments that we could replicate,” the brothers said in the official behind-the-scenes feature, “but there were other moments that he really had to dig deep and trust the process.”
They asked Jaafar to trust what they had learned through their own history with Michael.
The objective was not to produce an impersonation. It was to help Jaafar understand how Michael’s body responded to music, including the transitions and restrained movements audiences may not consciously notice but would recognise immediately if they appeared wrong.
Rebuilding Michael’s performances
The choreography formed one part of a much larger reconstruction.
The production recreated famous costumes, including the Bad tour jacket, filmed at the real Hayvenhurst property and rebuilt parts of the family home on sound stages.
The filmmakers recreated the Thriller video on its original street and combined prosthetic makeup with digital effects to show changes in Michael’s appearance across different periods of his life.
Concert venues and crowds were also digitally reconstructed to recreate the scale of his performances.
Yet the concerts depended on more than accurate clothing, sets and visual effects. Jaafar had to carry Michael’s confidence, musical timing and physical presence while continuing to act within each performance.
Rich and Tone’s training connected all those elements.
A Samoan contribution to a global legacy
The journey of the Talauega brothers is also a significant Pacific story.
Their careers grew from a combination of Samoan family life, music, cultural movement and the street-dance world of California’s Bay Area. That foundation carried them from teenage freestyle dancers to performances on some of the world’s largest stages.
Working with Michael Jackson changed the direction of their lives. Decades later, they were called upon to help preserve the performance language of the artist who had opened that door for them.
Their work on Michael brought that history full circle.
Knowledge once shared with two young Samoan dancers was later passed through them to Michael Jackson’s nephew. When audiences see Jaafar step onto the stage, part of that performance will come from the experience of two brothers who once stood beside Michael himself.
