Michael Jackson wanted a pretty actress to play his mother, Katherine Jackson. He specifically requested Angela Bassett.
Wylie Draper, who played Michael Jackson as a 20-year-old, died of leukemia the following year at the age of 24.
Jermaine Jackson's real life son, Jermaine Jackson II, portrays his father from ages 10-17. Jackson II is credited for playing his real-life father from the ages of 13 through 17, but in actuality, he played Jermaine from when they first began The Jackson 5 in Gary, Indiana in the 1960s (age 10) to when they are at the height of their Motown fame in the 1970s (age 17). Also, among the actors who played the Jackson children, Jackson II is the only actor to share scenes alongside all the actors who portrayed Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Michael at different ages except Marcus Maurice (adult Marlon) and Wylie Draper (adult Michael). Colin Steele played adult Jermaine for the last part of the film.
Jason Weaver, who played Michael Jackson from the ages of 9 through 14, sang some of the songs himself in the series, rather than lip synced them.
Boyz II Men: The group singing an a cappella rendition of "In the Still of the Night" in front of the Jackson family home in Gary, Indiana as Jackie Jackson (Bumper Robinson) is walking his brothers home. They later accost Jackie because of his recent success with his family singing group.