Kat Graham says her scenes as Diana Ross were removed from the Michael Jackson biopic Michael because of legal considerations.
The actress, who had been cast to play Ross in the film, explained on social media that “certain legal considerations” affected a few scenes, including the ones she filmed. She added that she was grateful for the experience and praised the cast and crew involved in the project.
Ross was an important figure in Jackson’s early career and personal life. The two appeared together in The Wiz, and Ross was closely associated with Jackson during his rise from child star to solo icon. Her absence from the movie has therefore drawn attention from fans and entertainment outlets.
The biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua, stars Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and focuses mainly on Jackson’s early life, The Jackson 5 years, and his solo rise through the late 1980s. Reports say the movie went through changes and reshoots after legal constraints affected parts of the story, including material connected to later controversies in Jackson’s life.
Graham did not give full details about the legal issues behind the cuts. For now, her version of Diana Ross will not appear in the final release of Michael, despite the role having been publicly announced during production.