The Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, broke records over the weekend. It’s now taken in a whopping $977.4 million at the global box office.
Having already surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody’s $911 million to become the biggest biopic of a music star, its latest takings push it just ahead of Oppenheimer’s $975 million. That makes it the biggest biopic of all time. Period.
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What makes this all the more remarkable is that Oppenheimer took several more weeks and a clutch of Oscar wins to achieve its final tally. Michael hit screens just two months ago and is still in theatrical release in some countries around the world. It’s very likely to pass the $1 billion mark.
Michael stars Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jafar Jackson, in the title role, while Colman Domingo plays the late music star’s father, Joe.
“I celebrate this with pride”
Domingo reacted to the latest news with a short message on Instagram. Alongside a carousel of photos of the real Michael and Joe Jackson, and scenes from the movie, Domingo said, “Today Michael has become not only the highest grossing musical biopic of all time but has now become the highest grossing biopic of all time. I celebrate this with pride. 
”
Domingo is enjoying a golden box-office period right now. Universal Pictures tagged him in a post highlighting his recent roles in Wicked: For Good, Michael, and Disclosure Day.
On Saturday, Domingo was a special guest at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco.
He accepted the festival’s Variety Creative Conscience Award at the Castro Theatre and enjoyed a Q&A session with moderator Jazz Tangcay.
Domingo reflected on arriving in San Francisco in 1991 with just $72 of borrowed money in his pocket. He stayed for ten years and says it’s where he “became of age as an artist.” This included regularly attending Frameline.
He moved to New York in 2001 after encouragement from a palm reader.
Asked for what advice he’d give to fellow queer creatives, he told them to pursue their dreams and not delay: “If there’s somewhere you want to go, don’t wait, just go. My whole career has been taking extraordinary chances… Take a chance on yourself.”
Watch his stirring words below.
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‘Michael’ is out April 24.
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