Michael Jackson’s Son Prince Says Joe Jackson “Softened Up” Later in Life
Although it’s a topic that’s been discussed for years, the relationship between Michael Jackson and his father, Joe, was revisited in Michael, and it’s again sparking very strong reactions. As seen in the biopic, Michael’s ascent to becoming the King of Pop was not easy, in large part due to Joe. Sure, the Jackson patriarch achieved the rarest of feats in creating a star out of almost every child he shared with his wife, Katherine (their twin boy Brandon died shortly after birth), but his strict and physical methods for ensuring Michael was the best of the best are still disheartening to think about, to say the least.
With that being said, it’s quite interesting to hear Michael’s eldest son, Prince, speak on the legacy of his grandfather. Prince even went so far as to say Joe “realized the era of his ways.”
Prince Jackson Says He Called Joe “Grandpa,” not Joseph
While doing press for Michael, a film he serves as an executive producer on, Prince stopped by the radio station 102.7 KIIS in LA and spoke with host Jojo Wright. While Prince and Wright spoke about a number of things Jackson related, at one point, the discussion turned to Joe. Wright asked, “Did you call him Joseph or Grandad?”
In reply, Prince stated:
“I was lucky enough to call him Grandpa. I think later in life, my grandpa kind of softened up a little bit, realized the era of his ways. But I know a lot of my uncles and aunts grew up calling him Joe, but I think at some point in their lives, that maybe changed as well, and they started calling him dad. But he was always Grandpa to me.
“And he had a presence, my grandpa. He had a reputation that preceded him. And I think that’s exactly what, I don’t know how Coleman [Domingo] did it, but he had a presence. When he came on set, there were so many people who saw him, and they were scared of him. I was lucky enough to be on my grandpa’s good side. But I heard if you were not on his good side, it was not fun. And Coleman retriggered some of those memories for some people.”
You can take a look at this particular moment of the interview in the clip below. It will be interesting to see if the greenlit Michael 2 will address this “softened up” version of Joe that Prince speaks of. Although if the movie covers the 90s era of the “Beat It” singer’s career, there is certainly much more to discuss. Again, Michael is still in theaters worldwide.
Prince Jackson on Joe Jackson:
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) May 4, 2026
“I was lucky enough to call him grandpa. I think later in life, my grandpa softened up a little bit and realized the error of his ways.” pic.twitter.com/CGHNC6l5JF
Related: As ‘Michael’ Continues Riding Box Office Success, Paris Jackson Debuts Her Own Movie