Kat Graham Shares Why Her Diana Ross Role Was Removed from the Michael Jackson Biopic Due to Legal Issues
Diana Ross, a prominent figure in Michael Jackson’s life, is notably absent from the upcoming biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua. This omission includes scenes featuring Kat Graham, who portrayed the Motown legend but will not appear in the final cut.
In a recent Instagram Story, Graham expressed disappointment regarding the changes, stating, “Ahead of the April 24 release of the Michael Jackson film, I want to share that certain legal considerations affected a few scenes, including ones I filmed with an incredible cast. Unfortunately, these moments are no longer part of the final cut, though the team worked hard to preserve as much of the story as possible.”
Graham did not elaborate on the specific “legal considerations” impacting the film produced by Lionsgate.
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The removal of elements involving Ross is part of a series of recent edits to the biopic. Additional scenes about Jackson’s child sexual abuse allegations were also removed after the Jackson Estate indicated that past settlements prohibited dramatization of those narratives.
While it has been widely believed that Ross discovered the Jackson 5, the honor actually belongs to Gladys Knight, who spotted the group in Chicago and urged Motown’s Berry Gordy to sign them. The marketing strategy later involved associating Ross with the Jacksons to capitalize on her fame.
The film Michael features Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, in the lead role. The cast also includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, along with performances from Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, and Larenz Tate.
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