Juliano Valdi portrays a young Michael in the new film and has praised Jackson's talent while enjoying the Jackson 5 choreography. In 1992, Alex Burrall and 13-year-old Jason Weaver shared the role in the ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream — Weaver sang for the part and trained intensely. Wylie Draper, who played an older Michael in that project and helped coach fellow actors, died of leukemia a year after the miniseries aired.
Flex Alexander took the lead in VH1's 2004 Man in the Mirror. Joseph Fiennes' portrayal in the sketch series Urban Myths drew heavy criticism from fans and Paris Jackson, leading to the episode being pulled; Fiennes later said taking part was a mistake. Veteran impersonator Navi starred in Lifetime's Searching for Neverland and has said he sometimes worked as a decoy for Michael during public appearances.