Michael Jackson Shot Down Suggestion He Play An Alien In ‘Men in Black II’ Because He Wanted To Wear The Famous Black Suit

Aug 10, 2022 by apost team

Michael Jackson is known the world over for his music and entertainment legacy – he isn't named the “King of Pop” for nothing. His long career full of hit songs, show-stopping performances, and celebrity collaborations has made him a household name. But apart from his music career, Jackson dabbled in the realm of film as well, including in the sequel of the blockbuster hit “Men In Black,” in which he made an extra special appearance. In July 2022, director Barry Sonnenfeld revealed some interesting behind-the-scenes insights into the superstar’s role.

Jackson needs no introduction. Born on Aug. 29, 1958, into a family of 10 children, Jackson was the eighth child, and his position as one of the youngest would affect how he was treated by his father, Joe Jackson. The patriarch of the family would taunt Jackson, physically and emotionally abusing him as he was one of the youngest. 

By 1964 when Jackson was just 6 years old, he and some of his brothers formed a band named the Jackson Brothers, later changing their name to the Jackson 5. They were led by their father and began performing around the Midwest before moving to Los Angeles in 1968 when Jackson was just 10.

As Jackson continued to perform with the Jackson 5, he was also emerging as a solo artist, releasing his own albums with Motown, the label the group was signed to. By the late 1970s, Jackson began to be even more independent after moving to New York to appear in the musical “The Wiz.” While there, he became influenced by music genres such as hip hop, which helped to refine his sound into something more complex. His fifth solo album, 1979’s “Off the Wall,” pushed him in a new direction and established him as a solo performer.

The 1980s cemented Jackson’s reign over pop music when his 1982 album “Thriller” became the best-selling album of 1983, the best-selling album of all time in the United States, and the best-selling album worldwide. That was the year he also debuted his moonwalk dance, which would become his signature. 

The next few years saw his star rise even higher, as he collaborated and befriended well-known artists and continued his charity work, including “We Are the World,” which was co-written with Lionel Richie, and the release of his follow-up album “Bad” in 1987. 

It was also in this decade that his appearance began to change quite drastically. He underwent his first rhinoplasty after breaking his nose during a dance routine, but after breathing problems arising from the operation, he would go on to have further surgeries. He was also suffering from a skin condition known as vitiligo, which is a condition that causes the skin to lose its pigment cells. Jackson sought professional help, and it’s believed that, in combination with using skin bleaching creams and his vitiligo worsening, his skin lost pigment quite considerably. From the start of the decade to the end, the way Jackson looked had changed drastically.

Then in 1997, “Men in Black” was released. It became an instant hit and cemented Will Smith’s Hollywood rise after the success of “Independence Day” the year before. Director Sonnenfeld told Insider on the 25th anniversary of the film’s release that the production team had not envisioned the level of success the film, which would go on to spawn two sequels and a reboot with Chris Hemsworth in 2019, would find. Neither could he have believed it would attract leagues of fans, among them the “King of Pop” himself, who approached Sonnenfeld with an intriguing request.

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Sonnenfeld recounted that when “Men In Black II” was in production, they were approached by a huge fan of the first film, none other than Jackson, who wanted to have a cameo in the film.

In the first film, there was a scene where an observation board showed aliens living among humans on earth, Sylvester Stallone, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. After being approached by Jackson, Sonnenfeld thought he could cast Jackson as an alien too. But the megastar had other plans.

“Well, I was going to make him an alien and he said, ‘No, I want to wear the “Men in Black" suit.’ So we figured out how to do that, and it worked out. He was lovely,” Sonnenfeld said.  

Instead of playing an alien, we saw Jackson in the film popping up on an observation board in the Men in Black headquarters. Wearing a black suit, he dialed in with a headset from a location with a large colony of penguins behind him. He gave the head of the Men in Black, Zed, played by Rip Torn, an update on his mission. Before Zed cut him off, he asked, “What about that position you promised me in Men in Black?” Zed brushed him off, and before Jackson’s character was cut off, he said, “I can be Agent M!”

Audiences were tickled by Jackson’s hilarious turn in the film. In comments on his Instagram page, users shared their thoughts.

“WE WERE ROBBED OF AGENT M,” wrote one fan.

“WHAT!? I didn’t know it was the real MJ hahaha,” another commented.

While the sequel failed to replicate the first film's success, Jackson’s wish to make his mark in the film series succeeded and can be enjoyed by movie buffs for many years.

What do you think of Michael Jackson’s range of skills, from music to acting? Did you catch him on the screen the last time you watched “Men in Black II?” Let us know, and pass this on to all the fans of the King of Pop you know.