Prince Michael Jackson (born February 21, 2002), better known as Blanket or Bigi, is an American filmmaker, former YouTuber, and the youngest child of pop legend Michael Jackson.
Biography
2002-2009: Early life
Bigi was born to Michael via surrogacy on February 21, 2002, in La Mesa, California. The surrogate mother's identity is unknown, but Michael himself has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his sperm. He grew up at Neverland Ranch with his half-siblings, Paris and Michael "Prince" Jr.
In his early childhood, Bigi and his half-siblings wore various masks and veils in their father's attempt to keep their identities hidden from the media, paparazzi, and fans.
Jackson made his first television appearance as a child in the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson, shot a year before. In the documentary, his father explained the meaning behind his nickname, Blanket, meaning to cover or "blanket" someone with love. Bigi also became the center of controversy as an infant when his father, Michael, dangled him from a balcony at Hotel Adlon in Berlin, Germany, while trying to show him off to a crowd of fans waiting outside the hotel to get a glimpse of his father. His father later regretted his mistake. However, the balcony incident has been hugely parodied and ridiculed by the media and various celebrities.
Following his father's death in 2009, Bigi's grandmother, Katherine, was made the permanent guardian of him, Prince, and Paris. In 2012, Katherine split custody of Jackson II and his half-siblings with his older cousin T.J. Jackson, son of Tito Jackson and a member of the group 3T.
2009-present
Bigi Jackson (Calabasas, California, 2022)[1]
Since the tragic event, Bigi has stayed mostly private, unlike his siblings. However, he has made a couple of appearances for interviews or events, sometimes even appearing at such related to his father.
In 2015, several online reports surfaced that Jackson no longer wished to be called by the nickname Blanket and was instead going by the name Bigi. He reportedly adopted this nickname after years of being teased because of his "Blanket" name.
In 2020, following his 18th birthday, Jackson purchased a $2.62 million home in Calabasas, California, where he currently lives.[2]
Career
| “ | Sometimes I would go in Michael’s room while he was getting ready for something and watch,” he said. “He was a good dancer, he was a very good dancer. I can’t dance or sing; I’m not that kind of person who sings and dances. When I grow up I want to be a director because it’s fun, and I make little movies when I’m at my house with cousins and friends. | ” |
–Bigi Jackson, Jacksonology: Our Story, 2012[3] | ||
Bigi made his proper film industry debut in 2013, becoming the associate producer for Jason Hess' Kingdom Come.[4] Bigi's next film role was that of a YouTuber, where in 2019, he co-founded Film Family with his brother Prince and cousin Taj. This was a YouTube channel revolving around movie reviews and other related topics. The channel gained between 5-20,000 views per video, but was discontinued in 2020, presumably due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2023, Bigi wrote and directed a short film entitled Rochelles in collaboration with 2293 Productions. Released on Amazon Prime Video, the film focuses on two friends who compete in a cook-off to become the head chef at a fancy restaurant.[5][6] The film was later screened at the 2024 Santa Monica Film Festival.[7]
Other
- Main article: Remembering Our Michael
Over the years, Bigi has made a couple of appearances in Michael-related documentaries.[3] In 2013, a documentary by Katherine, Paris, Prince, and Bigi called Remembering Our Michael was in the works, but it was ultimately cancelled. Footage from it was later released on a YouTube channel called "Jackson fam interview archive".
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Living with Michael Jackson | Himself | TV special documentary |
| 2009 | Michael Jackson Memorial Service | A live telecast of the public memorial service for Michael. | |
| 2010 | The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards | TV special | |
| Oprah Winfrey Show | Oprah talks to Michael's mother, Katherine, and visits with his children | ||
| 2011 | The X Factor | Live Performance Show #6 | |
| 2013-2014 | Remembering Our Michael | Cancelled documentary |
Gallery
References
- ↑ https://hollywoodlife.com/2022/05/12/michael-jackson-son-blanket-barnes-and-noble-photo/
- ↑ https://www.today.com/home/michael-jackson-s-son-bigi-once-known-blanket-buys-house-t175125
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3246483/where-bigi-jackson-2023-michael-jacksons-youngest-doesnt-want-be-called-blanket-wrote-and-directed
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3151724/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm
- ↑ https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Rochelles/0IQBNHN0ZLRFYP5PA1ZE2B7NWQ
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21307230/
- ↑ https://www.santamonicafilmfestival.com/