Kat Graham Speaks Out After Being Cut From MichaelBiopic Despite Filming as Diana Ross.
Kat Graham has broken her silence about her absence from the newly released Michael Jackson biopic Michael, confirming that her scenes as Diana Ross were removed from the final cut due to legal complications.
In 2024, Variety reported that Graham had been cast as the iconic Supremes frontwoman, a significant figure in Jackson’s early life and career. However, just days before the film’s April 24 theatrical release, the actress revealed on X and Instagram Stories that none of her filmed material made it into the movie.
“Ahead of the April 24 release of the Michael Jackson film, I want to share that certain legal considerations affected a few scenes, including the ones I filmed with an incredible cast,” Graham wrote. “Unfortunately, those moments are no longer part of the Final Cut, though the team worked hard to preserve as much of the story as possible.”
Kat Graham explica por que Diana Ross foi cortada do filme de Michael Jackson https://t.co/Ny3IAUOHPd
— omelete (@omelete) April 23, 2026
A Film Reshaped by Legal Restrictions
Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as his late uncle, chronicles Jackson’s rise from child star to global icon. But the film’s development was far from smooth. According to a 2025 report from Puck, the production was forced to reshoot portions of the movie after lawyers discovered that a settlement with Jordan Chandler—one of the individuals who accused Jackson of sexual abuse—prohibited any dramatization of those allegations.
Although Jackson and his estate have long denied the accusations, the legal restrictions meant that certain scenes, including a reenactment of the 1993 police raid on Neverland Ranch, had to be removed. Fuqua confirmed to The New Yorker that the raid sequence was filmed but ultimately cut.
These changes appear to have had ripple effects across the film’s narrative, potentially impacting storylines involving figures like Diana Ross, whose relationship with Jackson was both personal and professional. Ross famously starred alongside Jackson in the 1978 film The Wiz and was a major influence during his formative years.
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Unused Footage May Be Saved for a Sequel
Despite the cuts, all may not be lost. Multiple outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter, have noted that Fuqua and producer Graham King are considering using some of the unused footage—including scenes removed for legal reasons—in a possible sequel. The film even ends with a title card reading: “His Story Continues.”
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A Star‑Studded Cast Still Shines
While Graham’s portrayal of Ross won’t be seen in the theatrical release, Michael features an extensive ensemble cast, including:
- Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson
- Nia Long as Katherine Jackson
- Miles Teller as attorney John Branca
- Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy
- Kendrick Sampson as Quincy Jones
- Mike Myers as Walter Yetnikoff
The film opened in theaters on April 24.