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Welcome back to The Road to Michael! This week, we examine the casting of Miles Teller as Michael Jackson’s long-time entertainment attorney and business advisor, John Branca.

In a biopic that promises to be an “honest portrayal” of the King of Pop, the inclusion of key business figures is a necessity. John Branca’s involvement with Michael spanned three decades and included some of the most pivotal and complex financial decisions of Michael’s career. Teller’s role is not simply to be a co-star, but to represent the formidable legal and financial architecture that surrounded the world’s biggest artist.

The Business of a Kingdom

As Michael’s empire grew, it required formidable business minds to manage the scope of his success. John Branca first became Michael’s business advisor around the time of the Thriller album and was instrumental in a number of deals that cemented Michael’s position as a financial powerhouse:

• The Beatles Catalogue: Branca was instrumental behind Michael’s acquisition of the ATV Music Publishing catalogue in 1985, which contained the copyrights to most of The Beatles’ songs. This deal was a bold, unprecedented move that transformed Michael into one of the most powerful and wealthy figures in music.
• Structuring Deals: His role involved structuring deals that provided the financial backing for the huge, innovative music videos and global tours that defined the 80s and 90s.

The complexity of Branca’s presence in the film allows the story to go beyond the stage and show the man behind the music: the genius who also built a financial empire.

Miles Teller: A Challenge Accepted

Casting an Oscar-nominated actor like Miles Teller, known for intense, character-driven roles in films like Whiplash and Top Gun: Maverick, highlights the dramatic importance the filmmakers are placing on this relationship. Teller’s task is not to dance or sing, but to embody the high-stakes, behind-the-scenes negotiation that defined the music industry’s biggest deals.

Teller himself expressed excitement about the complexity of the project, stating, “Regardless of what you know or what your opinion may be, Michael is one of the greatest to ever do it… He deserves a movie, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The casting of a top-tier performer ensures that these crucial business moments will be given the dramatic weight they require to show the full scope of Michael’s life—both the stage and the boardroom. It allows the movie to explore the complex, shifting professional relationships that surround every mega-star.

Focusing on the Artistic Narrative

While the relationship was not without friction (Michael famously fired and rehired Branca multiple times over the decades) the cinematic portrayal of Branca serves a greater purpose: to provide context for Michael’s unique journey.

Miles Teller’s performance offers the film a professional counterpoint to Michael’s artistic world, allowing audiences to see the incredible business foundation required to support a talent of Michael’s magnitude. It is a necessary dramatic presence to illustrate the colossal career Michael built.

Let’s just hope Branca stays truthful and doesn’t cause too much “Monkey Business”

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What’s Next on The Road to Michael

From the high-stakes business of the music industry, we turn our focus back to the emotional core of Michael’s story. Next week, we look at the actors portraying the Jackson family patriarch and matriarch.

• Week 4: The Parents: Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson.

Do you think the inclusion of the ‘business side’ of Michael’s life will add valuable context to his story?