Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, has made an emotional admission after portraying his late veteran uncle in the eagerly awaited biopic movie Michael.

On Tuesday, February 10, a snippet of the upcoming project debuted, giving viewers a first look at the 29-year-old emerging actor channeling his late uncle for the big screen.

“I never dreamed to be an actor or even thought of playing him. But I knew it was a calling,” Jaafar said in the video.

He added, “Embodying Michael, I really had to earn the role and prove to the filmmakers that I was capable of becoming Michael. Essentially it was starting at the roots and finding the authenticity.”

The younger Jackson admitted that he felt immense love for Michael every day on set from the crew and cast, sharing that “everybody had that love and wanted to put their heart and soul into it.”

The cast also features Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, Juliano Valdi as young Michael, and Miles Teller as John Branca.

According to the official synopsis, the film showcases Michael’s life “beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.”

Michael is set to be released in theaters on April 24, portraying the life of the highly acclaimed singer who died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50.