Nia Long ‘Prayed a Lot’ Before Playing Katherine Jackson in ‘Michael’

Years after she met Michael Jackson, Nia Long played his mother, Katherine Jackson, in the biopic Michael. She admitted that the role felt a bit intimidating because of Katherine’s importance in music history. As she prepared for the role, she said she prayed often.

Nia Long shared how she prepared for her role as Katherine Jackson

Long first became aware of Jackson because her mother worked at his record label. When she was slightly older, she met the singer in person.

“My most precious memory of Michael Jackson was at a Stevie Wonder concert,” she told Playboy. “I was walking up a flight of steps, and as I was headed down to the stage, in walks Michael Jackson with [Boyz n the Hood director] John Singleton. He was like, ‘Hi, Nia Long!’ I literally couldn’t speak.”

Years later, Long was cast as Jackson’s mother, Katherine, in the biopic Michael. She said that the role comes with high expectations.

“I prayed a lot because my interpretation can be my interpretation, but what the world needs my interpretation to be is kind of beyond my control,” she said. “The work comes through me, not to me. And so I had to kind of trust my instincts.”

Ultimately, she said she hopes her performance is one Jackson would like.

“We had tough days, and we had easy days, like any other movie set,” she said. “But I think the common thread in all of this is everyone involved really loves and adores Michael Jackson, and we wanted to get it right.”

Michael hits theaters on April 24.