Lifetime Movie Based on Bodyguard's Account of His Final Day

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Michael Jackson Getting the Lifetime Movie Treatment Based on Bodyguard's Account of His Final Days

by CHRIS HARNICK | Fri, Jan 13, 2017 1:30 PM


Michael Jackson is getting the Lifetime movie treatment. Lifetime announced Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland (working title), a new flick based on the best-selling book Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days. The movie is told through the eyes of Jacksons trusted bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard.

Navi, who Lifetime calls the world's No. 1 Michael Jackson tribute artist will star as the King of Pop. This is his acting debut. The Walking Dead's Chad L. Coleman will play Whitfield.

Filming is expected to begin in Los Angeles in February.


Suzanne de Passe, who also worked on The Jacksons: An American Dream, will executive produce with Madison Jones and Robert Teitel. Dianne Houston is directing a script from Beauty Shop's Elizabeth Hunter.

Navi and Jackson crossed paths before. According to his official site, Navi was previously used by Jackson to promote concerts and albums or as a decoy with the press.

Michael Jackson has been in the news lately thanks to Urban Myths, a Sky series that was to feature an installment with Joseph Fiennes playing Jackson alongside Brian Cox as Marlon Brando and Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor. The story behind Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon? A rumored road trip the three stars took after the September 11 terrorist attacks, attempting to get from New York City to Los Angeles. Following public outcry from Jackson's family, Sky has canceled the TV movie.
"We have taken the decision not to broadcast Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a half hour episode from the Sky Arts Urban Myths series, in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson's immediate family," the network said in a statement. "We set out to take a light-hearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offence. Joseph Fiennes fully supports our decision."

Lifetime's Michael Jackson flick is just the latest in its series of movies based on pop stars. Britney Ever After, the Britney Spears movie, is coming in February and previous movies have focused on Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and Aaliyah.

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Michael Jackson's life story is coming to TV.

Lifetime, the network that brought the career journeys of Aaliyah and Toni Braxton to life with TV magic, has found its next subject in the late King of Pop.

According to Deadline, the network confirmed the news during the 2017 Television Critics Association press tour, revealing the film's working title as Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland.

Unlike the far removed production seen in the Aaliyah biopic, leading to harsh backlash, this film is set to be produced by Suzanne de Passe, who has intimately known the Jackson family for decades. She also produced the 1992 ABC miniseries, The Jacksons: An American Dream.

Also, the lucky man who will fill Michael's glitter glove has been confirmed to be professional Michael Jackson tribute artist Navi. Though some consider casting an impersonator a questionable move, it may be seen as an upgrade from Joseph Fiennes, who was cast as the music legend in the now scrapped British TV project Urban Myths, which upset both MJ's fan base and family alike.

The biopic is currently in the pre-production stages and does not yet have a solid premiere date.

See the one rule MJ had for his biopic in the BET Breaks video, above.

source: http://www.bet.com/music/2017/01/14/...reatment-.html

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http://deadline.com/2017/01/michael-...rd-1201897722/

‘Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland’: Sam Adegoke Cast As Lead Of Lifetime Biopic

Lifetime has cast the remaining lead role in its upcoming biopic Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland. Sam Adegoke (Switched At Birth) will play Jackson bodyguard Javon Beard, joining previously announced Chad L. Coleman as Jackson’s other bodyguard Bill Whitfield and Jackson tribute artist Navi in his acting debut as the King of Pop. Shooting begins Monday in Los Angeles.

The biopic is based on the best-selling book, Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days, and told the eyes through the eyes of Jackson’s trusted bodyguards, Whitfield and Beard. The movie will reveal firsthand the devotion Michael had to his children, and the hidden drama that took place during the last two years of his life.

Suzanne de Passe (The Jacksons: An American Dream), Madison Jones and Robert Teitel (Barbershop franchise, Notorious) are executive producing. Searching for Neverland is produced by Silver Screen (The Craigslist Killer) and Dianne Houston (Take the Lead, Surviving Compton) is directing from a script written by Elizabeth Hunter (Beauty Shop).

The two-hour original Lifetime movie is slated for premiere later this year.

Adegoke also recurred on Murder in the First and recently had guest spots on Code Black and NCIS: Los Angeles. He’s repped by Abrams Artists Agency and Untitled Entertainment

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Bill Whitfield ‏@MJBODYGUARDS 15. Jan.

Actors are playing a part, they can never replace. Judge the content and the way they portray someone. Dignity will remain a priority!

Bill Whitfield ‏@MJBODYGUARDS 15. Jan.

We don't expect all fans to agree with the film project. Please know the film is to honor Mr.Jackson from a first hand account

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ8g6VZD4-i/

Clip from the movie.

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https://www.accesshollywood.com/videos/ ... ng-of-pop/

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BRfJ-O-gZ8p/





Dianne Houston‏ @diannehouston

IT'S A WRAP! At #SearchingForNeverland the magic never ends... it just transforms! #MichaelJackson





http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396817/b..._=nm_ov_bio_sm

DIANNE HOUSTON IMDb

Mini Bio (1)
Dianne Houston is an Academy Award nominated writer and director. Her nomination in the Short Film category for ''Tuesday Morning Ride'' made Houston the first and only African American female director to be nominated for an Oscar for directing work. In addition to her nomination, Houston is best known for writing the feature film "Take The Lead" and Lifetime's record breaking "Surviving Compton: Dr. Dre, Suge, & Michel'le." She was nominated for a 2017 WGA award for her work on "Surviving Compton."


Early Life Houston attended the Workshop for Careers in the Arts (forerunner of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts). She left home at age 16 to study and pursue a theatre career in New York, touring nationally with the New York City Street Ensemble under Marketa Kimbrell. Houston earned a Fine Arts degree from Howard University in directing, and by the time she graduated from Howard in 1976, Houston had already become a published playwright. She directed her first professional production at the New Back Alley Theatre in 1978. Her play, ''The Fishermen,'' has been performed on college campuses every year since its debut.


Houston eventually returned to New York, where she worked and/or studied with notable theatre artists such as Laurie Carlos, Harry Poe, Joe Chaiken, Liz Swados, Joseph Papp, Ntozake Shange, Peter Brook, and Ellen Stewart. She was the founding director of both City Kids Rep and Alchemy: Theatre of Change.


Career Houston's writing credits include ''Take the Lead,'' ''Knights of the South Bronx'' (A&E), as well as writing/producing on various prime time series. These include ''Brewster Place,'' ''City of Angels,'' and ''The Education of Max Brewster.'' Houston has also signed on to adapt Rebecca Walker's popular novel Ade' into a feature film with Madonna in her directorial debut. Houston has also directed several episodes on popular shows such as "Single Ladies," ''Crossing Jordan,'' ''Presidio Med,'' ''Soul Food,'' ''City of Angels,'' ''Strong Medicine,'' and ''NYPD Blue.'' She has developed projects for Lifetime, Showtime, NBC, HBO, Sony, Paramount, and Harpo Productions, just to name a few. She is also directing "Hair Tales," written and created by noted pundit, commentator and style activist Michaela angela Davis.


Houston wrote on the ABC upcoming mini-series ''When We Rise,'' and recently signed on to write VH1's movie ''From Boys II Men.''


In 2017, Houston directed ''Searching for Neverland,'' a Lifetime tv event revealing the untold story of the last years of Michael Jackson's life, and began pre-production for her feature film "Harriet," an unconventional look at the life of Harriet Tubman.


Some of her future projects include development and publishing of two children's books, a young adult novel, a science fiction series, and a thriller. She is in partnership with Deni Henson on "The Dark Lady", a limited series based on the life of William Shakespeare's Black muse.


Awards/Nominations Houston was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996 for ''Tuesday Morning Ride,'' an NAACP Image award for Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film/ Television Movie for ''Take the Lead,'' and the 2017 Writer's Guild of America nomination (Long Form Original) for ''Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le.''
- IMDb Mini Biography By: JNorris

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Dianne Houston‏ @diannehouston
Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland premiers on Lifetime on Memorial Day Weekend. Watch out for it! #SearchingForNeverland

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http://people.com/music/michael-jack...lifetime-clip/
http://ew.com/tv/2017/04/28/michael-...alflow_twitter
Lifetime’s Michael Jackson biopic will knock fans off their feet.

In PEOPLE’s exclusive first-look clip from the upcoming TV movie, fans will find out that Jackson had little interest in being the King of Pop. Instead, he just wanted to be a good dad.“People had no idea the kind of stuff Mr. Jackson’s been through all his life,” Chad L. Coleman, who portrays Whitfield, says in the trailer while talking to Jackson’s other bodyguard Beard, played by Sam Adegoke.

The biopic is based on Whitfield and Beard’s 2014 best-selling book Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days, which the duo penned about protecting the King of Pop’s family as he picked up his life and moved from city to city in the wake of his 2005 sexual abuse charges. Until his death in 2009, the bodyguards remained by Jackson’s side.

Searching for Neverland will narrate the final years of Jackson’s life through the perspective of two of his personal bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, and will include his time as a father to sons Prince and Blanket, and daughter Paris.

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Lifetime UK Sets Premiere Date For Michael Jackson Movie ‘Searching For Neverland’

May 12, 2017 - 3:45 pm | 0 Comments

Tags : Lifetime UK, Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland

Michael Jackson movie Searching For Neverland will receive its UK premiere on Lifetime UK on Sunday June 25th at 9pm, it has been announced.

http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2017/05/life...ing-neverland

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http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/...biopic-w482386


Self-proclaimed "world's greatest" King of Pop impersonator Navi stars in TV movie about singer's final years.

By Daniel Kreps

4 hours ago

Lifetime has released the first trailer for their Michael Jackson biopic Searching for Neverland, starring the self-proclaimed "world's greatest" King of Pop impersonator Navi.
The movie, based on the 2014 book by Jackson's personal bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, follows Jackson in the final years of his life, with the pop legend trying to balance parenthood with fame.
"He doesn't want to be the King of Pop. He just wants to be Mike," one of the bodyguards says in voiceover. "A normal American dad."
However, the trailer hints at the darker side of Jackson's final years as investigators question the bodyguards about Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor who administered the deadly dose of Propofol in the hours before the singer's death.
Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland premieres Memorial Day, May 29th, on Lifetime.
Whitfield and Beard's book detailed their experiences working for Jackson and protecting his family from the aftermath of his 2005 sexual molestation trial to his 2009 death. In the biopic, The Walking Dead actor Chad L. Coleman plays Whitfield.
Jackson is the latest celebrity to become the focus of a Lifetime movie, following the network's campy biopics for Brittany Murphy, Anna Nicole Smith, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and, most recently, Britney Spears.
Jackson's pet chimpanzee Bubbles will also soon be the recipient of his own biopic thanks to an offbeat stop-motion movie co-directed by Taika Waititi.

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'A normal American dad': Michael Jackson plays father figure in new trailer for Searching For Neverland

By Ross Mcdonagh For Dailymail.com

Published: 02:54 BST, 17 May 2017 | Updated: 04:00 BST, 17 May 2017

He was music royalty — but he didn't want to be.

The latest trailer for the Michael Jackson biopic Searching For Neverland portrays the singer trying to escape the limelight in his final years.

The new teaser for the Lifetime movie opens with the late singer's bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard (Chad L. Coleman & Sam Adegoke) - who co-wrote the book on which the series is based - being questioned by investigators.


'A normal American dad': Michael Jackson plays father figure in the new trailer for Searching For Neverland

They quiz them about Dr Conrad Murray, the physician who was ultimately charged with involuntary manslaughter after administering a fatal dose of Propofol.

'May I remind you you are under oath: did Dr Conrad Murray kill Michael Jackson?' the investigator asks.

'Like I told you, I wasn't there that night,' one replies.



Neverland: The superstar can be seen cosying up to his kids and others

'But you were there the two years leading up to that night,' the investigator fires back.

The superstar can be seen cosying up to his children - and others - as they watch movies, blew out birthday candles and chased a puppy together.

'He doesn't want to be the King of Pop,' one of the bodyguards muses to the other. 'He just wants to be Mike... a normal American dad.'


Jackson - played by longtime impersonator Navi - can be seen visibly distressed as he is surrounded by photographers.

'Raising these kids alone is the hardest thing I've ever had to do,' he says

'There are good people in the world, and there are bad people,' he tells one of the children. 'I will always protect you.'


Things get heated as the bodyguards push back against the line of questioning, declaring they were the only two people who had the hitmaker's back.


'We loved that man!' Beard roars. 'We were the only too people actually looking out for him!'

Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland premieres on May 29 on Lifetime.


Coming soon: Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland premieres on May 29 on Lifetime

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... z4hKLRGgiS

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SEE MICHAEL JACKSON: SEARCHING FOR NEVERLAND AT THE GALA PREMIERE IN HOLLYWOOD.

Lifetime Television is giving Michael Jackson fans the chance to attend the gala premiere of their new biopic 'Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland', being held in Hollywood on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.

Attendees will include Academy Award Nominee Dianne Houston (Director) and Suzanne de Passe (Executive Producer) who was responsible for bringing The Jackson Five to Motown.

Lifetime Television is giving 75 of you the opportunity to attend the premiere with a friend! All you need to do is send an email with your FULL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH AND CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER to lifetimemjmoviepremiere@gmail.com

***TERMS & CONDITIONS***
You MUST be available to attend the Gala Premiere on the evening of Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Winners will be selected at a random. Each winner will receive a pair of tickets. If the participant is under the age of 16, the other ticket must be used for an accompanying adult. Winners will be notified on Friday, May 19, 2017, via email. Doors open 6pm. Winners must arrive at the venue (which will be disclosed on confirmation of winning) 1 hour before. Winners MUST present photo identification along with their confirmation email to gain entry to the event. The venue and organisers reserve the right to refuse entry. The organisers reserve the the right to cancel the event at short notice without compensation to winners.

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EntertainmentTonight
✔ ‎@etnow

Michael Jackson strives to be a "normal American dad" in the trailer for @lifetimetv's #SearchingForNeverland. http://et.tv/2qT6iav

04:30 - 18 May 2017

Chad L Coleman‏@ChadLColeman May 17th
Catch me as Bill Whitfield when #SearchingForNeverland airs later this month!

Mista T-Dot Davis‏ @muzikscribe May 19th
Saw An Early Screening Of @LifetimeTV's @michaeljackson biopic #SearchingForNeverland & I Think They May Have Gotten It Right This Time...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8JNyjxBCnw

Michael being mobbed in the mall and worrying about his children.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqoeVZLF0TE
Some footage from the Premiere at the Avalon theatre- VIPs, guests and entertainment with Navi and young impersonators (Thank you Jonathan Moffett, for posting on Youtube):

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Lifetime's new biopic about the final two years in the life of pop superstar Michael Jackson tells a sad and reflective story about a man who may have regretted achieving the extreme heights to which he had risen. Based on a memoir by Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, who were Jackson's bodyguards for most of those final two years, "Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland" premieres on Lifetime on May 29 at 8 p.m.

As the film begins, we see Jackson (Navi) returning to the United States after his self-imposed exile in Bahrain, where he had gone to escape the harsh lights of the paparazzi following his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges. Though found not guilty by the courts, the King of Pop was hung in the court of public opinion.

The Jackson who returns to the USA in Lifetime's film is a sad, weary man who has grown to despise the spotlight. He's a single dad, and his three kids love him – those children are Jackson's only source of joy. The singer had abandoned Neverland Ranch, his beloved private playground where his life unraveled. Now he has but one dream: to perform a final series of concerts that will give him the financial capital he needs to buy a hideaway where he can live in peace with his children and disappear from the public eye.

Much has written about Jackson, both during his lifetime and since his shocking and unexpected passing. Even while acknowledging his incredible talent as a singer and dancer, the press and others have derided the star for his "mental illness" and his "perversions." These statements were made by people who never knew Jackson. With "Michael Jackson: Waiting for Neverland," Lifetime offers a peak inside Jackson's life from two men who were actually there.

So much of the film induces tears. In one particularly memorable scene, Jackson allows youngest child Blanket (Michael Mourra) to play in the park with his bodyguards. Jackson watches jealously from behind a closed window, unable to join Blanket because of the commotion his presence would cause.

Character actress Starletta DuPois shines in her two scenes as Katherine Jackson, the pop icon's mom. Mrs. Jackson reaches out to her son and tries to save him from himself, but it's too late. The damage has been done. Chad L. Coleman and Sam Adegoke also offer fine work as the bodyguards who become Jackson's only real friends as his life draws to a close.

But it's the single-named Navi, a newcomer to acting, who commands the screen. Navi looks and sounds amazingly like Jackson, yet his portrayal never denigrates into caricature. Navi beautifully captures the enormous tragedy of a man who was given a glorious talent that ultimately destroyed him.

It may be time for those who have judged Jackson to rethink their views regarding his life.

http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article...on&article=282

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Michael Jackson's Final Tragedy, Told Gently
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...erland/528132/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... q-IZdPPyJc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2jAtcoLcNs

Please watch the above videos, very enlightening. I will be giving this a watch as soon as I can. 8-)

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How Lifetime's Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland Cast Compares to Their Real-Life Counterparts
http://www.eonline.com/news/857334/h...s#photo-817914

Michael Jackson impersonator says he felt King of Pop's presence on Lifetime movie set
http://ew.com/tv/2017/05/26/michael-...alflow_twitter

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Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland: 13 Secrets Revealed in Lifetime's Biopic

by Tierney Bricker | Tue, May 30, 2017 4:00 AM

Did you know Michael Jackson brought his own hot sauce and spray butter to the movie theater?

That's just one of the surprising things viewers may have learned about the late King of Pop in Lifetime's Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, the new unauthorized biopic that details the last years of his life, told from the point of view of his security guards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard.

Based on their 2014 book, Searching for Neverland revealed some intimate details about Jackson, who is played by Navi, a world-famous impersonator, in his acting debut, and shined a light on his relationship with his three children.


1. When Jackson put masks on his children's faces to avoid having their identities known to the public, he called it "dress up" and turned it into a game and were told not to use their real names.

2. A photographer once got a photo of Blanket, with Javon tracking him down and taking the camera. Jackson then allegedly paid $75,000 to the photog after his then-assistant Feldman destroyed it. (Feldman was then fired, according to Bill.)

3. According to the film, Jackson first met Dr. Conrad Murray when daughter Paris fell ill and needed medical attention. Not wanting to bring her to the hospital for fear of the paparazzi seeing them, Jackson requested a private physician. After his death, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter, convicted, and sentenced to four years in jail following Michael's death in 2009. He served two years before being released.

4. In the biopic, the only Jackson sibling shown is Randy, Michael's younger brother and a member of the Jackson 5, who is seen in one scene driving through a gate, demanding money he felt his brother owed him. Though Michael's father Joe Jackson was told he needed an appointment to come see his son in an earlier scene, he's called in to deal with Randy. This all happened on the night of Elizabeth Taylor's birthday party, which Jackson ended up not attending, nervous Randy would follow him there.

5. While Jackson personally didn't celebrate Christmas as a Jehovah's witness, he still allowed his three children to open presents and celebrate.

6. Per Bill, Jackson brought his own hot sauce and spray butter into the movies for his popcorn. His favorite actor? Charlie Chaplin, bringing his children to a festival dedicated to the "king of comedy."

7. In case of emergencies, Jackson carried around the Oscar statue for Gone With the Wind and a briefcase of $200,000 and passports.

8. Deeply private, in one scene, Jackson cut open his hand pulling a surveillance camera from a wall in a hotel in Washington, D.C.

9. One of his favorite songs, according to the movie? Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative."

10. Though he craved a normal life as a dad, according to Bill, he also loved his fans, and often had his fan mail delivered to him. He also would tell the police it was OK for his fans to wait outside his house.

11. Jackson was in serious debt, and Bill and Javon didn't get paid for five months, but felt protective of their client and his children, becoming attached to them. Bill even missed Christmas with his daughter to be with the family. Unable to tell anyone who they worked for, Bill and Javon's personal relationships were impacted by their job.

12. In order to pay off his debts and buy a new house, Jackson was told he needed to do a Las Vegas residency, but he allegedly told Bill it would "kill" him, as he couldn't perform five nights a week at the level he used to.

13. In another scene, Jackson is a on date, with Bill driving the couple around. His date convinces him to go out to a bar like a "normal couple," but he soon changes his mind when a man accosts him on the street.
http://www.eonline.com/news/857447/m...etime-s-biopic



Durban actress stars in Michael Jackson film

Entertainment | 28 May 2017, 12:00pmSiphelele Buthelezi



DURBAN – Durban-born actress, Nondumiso Tembe will be among the impressive cast in the movie Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, when the film premières in America tonight.
Tembe will play the role of Grace Rwaramba, the popstar’s nanny to his three children.

Actor Nondumiso Tembe. Pictures: Supplied

Speaking to the Sunday Tribune this week, she revealed that she was a huge fan of the star and said the film would shed light on many aspects that were not known.
“We all think we know Michael Jackson’s story, but this film reveals a very different side of one of the world’s most prolific artists,” she said.


Tembe said her role in the movie was an important one and she felt honoured to play it.
“Grace became one of his closest friends and confidantes. When his children were born, he asked her to move in with them and become their nanny.
“She saw everything. They had quite a complicated and somewhat tumultuous relationship, but she loved him very much and was fiercely protective of him and she was there through thick and thin,” she said.
“It was fascinating for me, as someone who has been a huge fan of Michael Jackson all my life – but seeing another more vulnerable, human and relatable side of this icon, this man we all idolized and adored, was profound for me,” said Tembe.
The made-for-TV movie will premiere today (Sunday) on the international channel Lifetime, but it is not known when and if it will be available on South African TV.
The film is based on the book Remembering the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in his final days by Bill Whitefield and Javon Beard, who were Jackson’s bodyguard in the last few years of his life.
“Given the popularity of the subject matter, I am confident the film will eventually be available all over the world. South African viewers should look out for it hopefully later this year,” she said.
Tembe is the daughter of opera singers Bongani Tembe and Linda Bukhosini. She has a string of qualifications that has laid the foundation for an international and diverse career in the performing arts.
She has starred in various roles on international channels including the Golden Globe and Emmy award winning show, True Blood and the new TV show, SIX, a military drama.
South African audiences can also expect to see the versatile artist playing a lead role on the up-coming film, Zulu Wedding, which features popular US actor Darrin Dewitt Henson.
It is scheduled for release later this year.
Tembe said her goal had always been to be a great artist, not a celebrity. “I don’t care about how many followers I have on social media, or how many magazine covers I land, or the awards or being an “It Girl” or landing on anybody’s ‘Best Dressed’ list.
“I am an artist first and foremost.
“My mission is to achieve excellence, to do work that has a meaningful impact on the world and to have longevity,” she said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE


http://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/...n-film-9396754

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‘Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland’ Draws 2 Million Viewers In Live+SD


Monday’s premiere of Lifetime original movie Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland drew 2 million total viewers in Live+SD; including 728,000 adults 18-49 and 484,000 women 18-49. It ranks as cable’s No. 2 original movie premiere for 2017 to date in key demos, only behind Lifetime’s Beaches. Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Icon special, which aired immediately following the movie, retained 85% of its lead-in, drawing 1.7 million total viewers.

http://deadline.com/2017/05/michael-...rs-1202104503/

For comparison:
Lifetime’s remake of the movie “Beaches” was the top original program on cable Saturday among adults 18-49. The film, starring Nia Long and Idina Menzel, earned a 0.6 rating in the demographic and 2.21 million viewers.
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/dai...s-jan-21-2017/




Interview of @MichaelaAngelaD with @Essence -http://www.essence.com/entertainment/di ... ow_twitter … re: #SearchingforNeverland #MichaelJackson Lifetime Movie
http://www.essence.com/entertainment...alflow_twitter

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Congrats, Lifetime made a Michael Jackson TV movie that was not terrible
Michael Arceneaux, The Root | 5/30/2017, 11:15 a.m. I thought the Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland movie was going to be some trash.

I thought the Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland movie was going to be some trash. With all due respect to Lifetime, the network gave us the horrible Aaliyah biopic and the not-as-awful-but-close-enough movie about the life of Whitney Houston. I wouldn’t be surprised if either one of their ghosts were still haunting all of the executives responsible for those projects.


However, while Jackson’s spirit may not be pleased with anyone telling his story without explicit permission—much less on basic cable—this flick was surprisingly not terrible. For starters, it didn’t look cheap. More importantly, though, the film was made with a clear respect for the late King of Pop.


Much of that can be directly traced to all who are responsible for this. The film is based on the book, Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days, written by Jackson’s former bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard. And one of the executive producers of the film is Suzanne de Passe, who worked with Jackson as a child when he was part of the Jackson 5.


The movie starts at the point in Jackson’s life when he returns to the United States after living in Bahrain. Although he has been exonerated of charges of child molestation, his public reputation is reeling, his finances are sketchy, and his friends are sketch. So, a reluctant bodyguard takes on a short-term job that turns into an overwhelming gig, taking on the biggest pop star in the world on a major decline.


Frankly, I feel bad for them. They’re not just the bodyguards. They are best friends. They are partial caregivers. They are personal assistants. They are life coaches in some instances. Their jobs seem stressful as hell. And yet, they are incredibly dedicated to Jackson and protective of his legacy.


You can tell the people behind this movie truly care about him.


The person portraying Michael Jackson is Navi. On Navi’s website, his biography declares him to be “the world’s number one Michael Jackson impersonator.” And he’s been performing as Jackson for more than 20 years. Navi nails many of his mannerisms. However, I would add that his British accent went in and out. And moreover, Jackson was a bit skinnier than Navi, but you know, a diet of propofol and KFC is too much to ask of an actor.


In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Navi said: “I want [everyone] to watch this film without a preconceived idea of who Michael Jackson was. Forget what the media said about him. Just watch the film, and then ask yourself one question: ‘How different are you?’”


Well, that’s a lot on it, but it was surprisingly refreshing to learn a few things about Jackson.


Who knew Randy Jackson was owed money by his brother and tried to storm his Las Vegas residence, and Joe Jackson, whom MJ had no real interests in seeing, got him off the property? And, by the way, shout out to Richard Lawson for playing an excellent Papa Joe. I cannot believe Miss Tina didn’t tell us on Instagram that her husband was doing this movie.

There are other tidbits, like that Michael Jackson stayed a Jehovah’s Witness. He also always brought his own spray butter and hot sauce to the movie theater. Most of all, Michael Jackson loved Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” Like, he used to eat fried chicken and go off to it.


Other matters were less surprising. Say, Jackson’s being late to pay folks given that he hadn’t worked in years and was saddled with lots of debt and high legal fees. So late that one of the bodyguards maxed out his credit cards and nearly lost his family as a result of his working a job for free. It’s interesting that for all of the dishonesty they had to grapple with, they still try to paint as sympathetic a picture of Michael Jackson as possible.


Perhaps that’s rooted in their seeing a fuller picture of him. And the fact that a genuine love was formed after spending so much time with him and his family. However, when people owe me money, ain’t no love in the heart of the city. Especially when Jackson would go shopping (buying daughter Paris Jackson a black doll) knowing damn well he owed them money.


That is real love. Bless all of their hearts.


All and all, the movie was not what I anticipated, but by the end, I felt majorly pissed for the bodyguards. After all of their sacrifices, they were squeezed out on top of not being properly compensated. Still, they gave him a compassionate depiction. Even in death, they protected the legacy of Michael Jackson.


I’m named after the man, but even I wouldn’t be so kind about someone who owed me money. I’m glad this movie happened, if for no other reason than that these bodyguards got the checks they have long been due. And they didn’t have to shake the table like Randy.


Shamon.




http://tsdmemphis.com/news/2017/may/...vie-wa/?page=2





Some comments...

Miranda‏ @__randda
After watching the Michael Jackson movie on lifetime, it made me really upset that he went through all of that

Britt H.. @Merci_Britte
I'm having a hard time watching this Michael Jackson Biography. Lord. If you know me you know just how much I love that man!

exotic_ti-yah‏ @tinker_keke
Watching this Michael Jackson biography & all that stood out was the bodyguard's words "where was all these ppl when he needed them"...

Juliet Ashoff‏ @heyyitsjuliet
2 minutes into the Biography of Michael Jackson and I'm already balling my eyes out

Kiara Dominque‏ @ShesA_Man3ater
Why I'm crying watching this Michael Jackson story like I knew that man

Aℓуѕѕα @Alystiel
My heart hurts when i think about how people treated Michael Jackson and how they took advantage of him, he did not deserve any of that

court(@pettytrades)‏ @LUCOZlAM
This documentary im watching makes me feel bad for Michael jackson i never deemed his as bad the media is horrible

paige‏ @PaigePaltann
After this lifetime segment I feel like a Michael Jackson enthusiast






https://www.instagram.com/p/BUvv8R1jdZc/
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[soulmum]

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https://www.facebook.com/OfficialNavi/

So it's been shown in a handful of countries so far. America . Canada and I know in the Caribbean. Maybe others... I also know many of you in Europe and Australia have seen a copy of it through the internet. I must admit seeing the actual tv quality does make a big difference .
Anyway what was your honest opinion. And you can also rate the movie and everyone that was involved in the movie on IMDB.
Searching For Neverland.
Portraying Michael was really the toughest role for anyone. You have the most famous man ever that everyone knows about. His looks, voice, character, mannerisms, size and dance. Then on top of that we had to add the fact that all this needed to be acted out in a role reflective in the story. So remember that we can all say something could of been different BUT by changing that thing you might affect more than one of the other factors needed .
It is planned for UK release on Lifetime Channel on June 25th.
Navi
www.instagram.com/worlds_no1_mj_impersonator

[soulmum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIOhVwhYT2w

- Vegas event. Taunya says she and Randy went to see Michael for a business matter. Bodyguards did not open the gate so they waited until someone came in and they drove right behind them and parked at the front door and asked to see Michael. Bodyguards did not allow it, according to Taunya they were "belligerent and aggressive". Randy later called Joe Jackson who came and was upset that the bodyguards was coming between brothers. Taunya says they wanted to leave but bodyguards was blocking their way. They let them out a few hours later. Taunya is asked about to explain the "business matter" they went to see Michael for, she replies "it was a financial matter". She makes it clear that visit was not an intervention attempt. AEG asks "is it about Michael Jackson owing Randy Jackson money?" Taunya refuses to answer.

Elizabeth Taylor's birthday party was in Las Vegas, on Feb. 28, 2007. Elizabeth said that Michael would not be attending, as she had talked to Michael earlier in the day.

Apparently, under oath, in her deposition with AEG, Taunya and Randy did not crash the gates. Joe Jackson didn't appreciate the bodyguards. Both Randy Jackson and Taunya Zilkie had been named in a lawsuit against Michael Jackson, where Michael owed Randy Jackson $1,650,000 and Randy's assistant Taunya Zilke $50,000.

[soulmum]

Geneva Nash Morgan, department head, applys Navi's make-up and Liz Ferguson works on his hair | All photos courtesy of April M. Chaney, 3rd make-up artist on Searching for Neverland |


FILM
The Thrilling Make-up of a Michael Jackson Biopic

June 9, 2017
by Annika Darling
13 3 0 16


Navi as Michael Jackson in Searching for Neverland
Geneva Nash Morgan (make-up department head) met many challenges developing the history specific make-up for Michael Jackson’s character in the new Lifetime biopic: Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland. Re-creating the face of the famous popstar comes with a certain amount of pressure. However, Nash Morgan and her team rose to the occasion and rolled with the punches.
The movie, released on May 29, sheds light on Jackson’s family dynamics as well as uncovers hidden drama that ensued during the last few years of his life. It is based on the best-selling book Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days, told through the eyes of Jackson’s bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard.
“This show is about a well-documented slice in recent history,” says Nash Morgan. “A lot of the looks for these people can be Googled. So, I felt that we had to find hues close to identical (including skin tones, face shapes, eyebrow shapes and regional make-up styles) to capture the person we were imitating. I did not want anyone to try to guess at who was on the screen.”
Navi, the actor who played the late icon, is a longtime MJ impersonator. Nash Morgan says that Navi had a sense of the look, which proved helpful, although there was a lot of refinement necessary for HD filming.
Navi’s face, neck, chest and arms were painted daily. It took three hours a day to apply the look using airbrush, contour and stripping techniques. Nash Morgan and key make-up artist Sue Laprelle worked out the placement of the vitiligo (a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches) and tattoos based on photographs and worked solely with paint and powder. No prosthetics were used, as the production’s budget didn’t allow for it.
Time restrictions further challenged the make-up team, leaving them no time to test the make-ups. Nash Morgan says, “The [make-up artists] knew that and were cool enough to understand.” She went on to explain that she would set the looks on all the characters and “then pass the puff to the staff.”
Scenes were shot in enormous estates and homes throughout the Santa Clarita, Malibu and Los Angeles area. One shot was filmed in the Glendale Galleria, where April Chaney (3rd make-up artist on the film) recalls fans being confused, believing Navi was truly MJ.



Nash Morgan says the team did their best to capture key features of each character. She did a wash of color to shift skin color and used highlights and shadow to morph the actors into the characters they were portraying. “In some cases,” recalls Nash Morgan, “the changes were so different we had to spatter with ink washes to blend in the changes. Like with the Randy Jackson character, his skin tone was taupe/yellow and we had to shift him to golden orange. [The actor] kindly let us shave his head and we painted his fresh baldpate and added key details to bring ‘Randy’ into focus.

“We did the same with all the Jackson family. Joe Jackson was also a challenge. Thank goodness we had Richard Lawson, a seasoned thespian playing the role. We had to tweeze his eyebrows into a high arch and shave his bushy mustache into a thin pencil shape. Richard also helped us by getting his own green contacts. … I was very happy with the look. Katherine Jackson [played by Starletta DuPois] was also a challenge. I had to change her facial structure with paint and then drop on Ms. Jackson’s specific make-up look. This was the process we did with all of the doppelgangers in the show.”


https://makeupmag.com/thrilling-make...ackson-biopic/

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Full movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGBM4T9dpRQ

[soulmum]

http://www.antimusic.com/news/17/Aug...g_To_DVD.shtml

Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland Coming To DVD

Lionsgate have announced that they will be releasing the film "Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland" on the DVD format on October 10th. They sent over the following details:

The scripted film is based on the best-selling book written by the late Michael Jackson's most trusted bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard with Tanner Colby.

Featuring the acting debut of Navi, a Michael Jackson tribute artist who worked closely with the pop legend as his body double for many years, the Lifetime Original Movie gives an intimate view of The King of Pop both as a caring father and as a man enduring untold hardships during the last years of his life.

A behind-the-scenes perspective from those closest to the music icon, the Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.98.

[soulmum]

https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Jacks.../dp/B074JVGDZN
DVD released on October 10, 2017. Pre-order now. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.