10 Actors Who Totally Transformed Themselves For Upcoming Roles

There's no denying that the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic faced one of the toughest casting decisions in recent cinema history, given the utterly statuesque nature of the late pop icon and how acutely aware of his face, his voice, and his mannerisms most of the world is.

Ultimately, the decision was made to cast Jackson's nephew Jaafar in the role, and though Jaafar bears a passing resemblance to his uncle in his younger years as one would expect, a clear effort has been made to close the gap through extensive makeup work.

It's evident from the official images released so far that Jaafar's skin has been made paler to reflect Jackson's own changing skin tone throughout the 1980s, reportedly a result of the singer's vitiligo. And the transformation is certainly uncanny, ensuring that even if Michael is every bit the hagiographic estate-endorsed biopic that many expect it to be, the authenticity of the central performance will probably be water-tight.