There’s a new movie about Michael Jackson, called simply “Michael.” It tells the story of his life, with his nephew Jaafar Jackson playing him. Fans have been following every bit of news about it, and this one’s worth a look.
This November the people who made “Michael” are being honored in New York. It happens at the Gotham Film Awards, one of the first big nights of the whole awards season. The date is Monday, November 30, at Cipriani Wall Street.
The honor is called the Gotham Musical Tribute. It isn’t a prize anyone competes for, and it isn’t a nomination. The Gotham simply picks a film and the team behind it and gives them a salute. And it’s rare. “Michael” is only the second movie ever to get it.
The ones being honored are director Antoine Fuqua, producer Graham King and the film’s stars Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo and Nia Long.
Jeffrey Sharp, who runs the Gotham Film & Media Institute, kept it short. “For our second Gotham Musical Tribute, we are delighted to honor these incredibly talented actors and filmmakers,” he said.
So who got the very first one?
That one went out just last year, at the 2025 Gotham Film Awards. The two stars who received it were Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Jackman is the Australian actor most people know as Wolverine and from “The Greatest Showman.” Hudson is the actress from “Almost Famous” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and she’s the daughter of Goldie Hawn.
They were honored for a movie called “Song Sung Blue.” It’s about a married couple who start a Neil Diamond tribute band and chase a bit of music-world magic together. Neil Diamond, in case you need the reminder, is the singer behind “Sweet Caroline” and the song “Song Sung Blue” itself.
The news report below is from that night, when the two of them picked up the very first Musical Tribute.
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson receiving the first Gotham Musical Tribute in 2025
Now it’s the “Michael” team’s turn. For Jaafar especially, stepping into his uncle’s shoes on screen, being recognized this early in the season means a lot.
There’s more news coming fast, too. The Gotham reads out its competitive nominations tomorrow, Tuesday, October 27. Those are the categories films actually run against each other in, which is a separate thing from this tribute. Plenty of fans will be watching to see if “Michael” or Jaafar’s name shows up on that list.
The tribute itself is a warm way to start. One film got it first, and this fall the Gotham hands it to the people who brought Michael’s story to the screen.