GOSSIP.CO.UK

Years of studying his mannerisms, mastering his iconic moves and later learning how to sing like the King of Pop himself finally paid off for Juliano Valdi.

The little-known 12-year-old from California, with a mere smattering of acting credits to his name, landed his film debut playing a young Michael Jackson in the new biopic, Michael.

The excitement was palpable as he walked the red carpet last week alongside Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, 29, who plays an older incarnation of his uncle in the movie, willingly posing for photos with fans and politely obliging when asked to showcase his impressive dancing skills.

The moment is even more poignant given how much Valdi has overcome to land what he described as his ‘dream role’.

For the Daily Mail can reveal he shares not only Jackson’s moves, but also his resilience, having been estranged from his wider family and subjected to periods of bullying – as well as falling victim to a near-fatal attack when he was just three years old.

No one is prouder of his achievements than his grandmother Daniella Valdivieso, who claims she has been slowly shut out of her grandson’s life over the last few years, with the premiere a bittersweet moment for the 59-year-old. 

Juliano Valdi plays a young Michael Jackson in the biopic Michael (pictured at the Los Angeles premiere)

Valdi posed for photos alongside members of Jackson’s family, including Bigi (second from left), Jaafar (fourth from left), and Prince (far right)

‘I was looking at a video yesterday on Instagram when all the cast was there and they were all taking pictures… in the moment I saw that [Valdi looked] kind of sad and I thought, “Well, where is his family?”‘ she told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview. 

Valdi, who has Dominican and Ecuadorian heritage, was born into a close-knit family. His mom, Shiloh Jackson, gave birth to him in Las Vegas, Nevada, when she was 20. Now 33, she is credited with running the young star’s Instagram account and was with him on the red carpet.

Valdi was raised by his father and his aunt Sabine, who was like a ‘second mom’, according to Valdivieso, who claimed everything changed when Shiloh was given full custody by the father – although there were no legal documents – when Valdi was three.

Valdivieso, who is the mother of Valdi’s father and aunt, told the Daily Mail about how much it hurt to not see him as often. ‘Every time he came [to the house], he didn’t want to leave,’ she recalled. ‘He never, never, ever wanted to leave. We have so many videos, we have so many pictures.

‘I mean, there’s proof [of memories] that he shared with us because he’s part of our family.’

Valdivieso was always concerned about Valdi’s relationship with his cousin – the son of Shiloh’s sister Casey Jackson – who Valdivieso claimed would ‘bully’ Valdi.

‘When he was little, when he used to come here, he always said that [his cousin] hit him because he was bigger,’ she alleged. ‘Juliano was just tiny. He’s always been skinny. [The cousin’s] just a bigger boy.’

Speaking with the Daily Mail, Sabine, 33, added: ‘[The cousin] was pretty mean to Juliano every time that he was at the [other] grandma’s house… like three times a week.’

Valdi’s grandmother Daniella Valdivieso told the Daily Mail that her family has been shut out of his life and last saw him in November 2022 (pictured with Valdi in January 2018 in Las Vegas)

Valdi, now 12, was raised as a toddler by his father and his aunt Sabine (pictured), who was like a ‘second mom’, according to Valdivieso

The behavior escalated in November 2017 when Valdi was being cared for by Casey. His cousin picked up a shovel and struck him over the head, according to court records obtained by the Daily Mail.

He suffered ‘both internal and external injuries, and suffered great pain and anxiety,’ per the court records.

Valdi’s mother sued her sister Casey and her sister’s son, who had a known history of fighting with his cousin, in 2020 for negligence, assault and battery. Casey denied the allegations.

In August 2021, a Vegas judge ruled in favor of Valdi, and ordered his aunt to pay $15,000 for general and compensatory damages, nearly $4,000 for medical bills and that $8,321 for the outstanding bills, health insurance lien and attorney’s fees and costs be deposited into a trust account and held until Valdi turns 18.

Thankfully, Valdi was not left with any lasting injuries, and in January 2024, he landed the role in Michael after five years of impersonating and studying the King of Pop for the movie which charts the singer’s life from the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to his early solo career.

‘When he saw [MJ] on the TV for the first time, he asked, “Who’s that?” And then that’s how it all started,’ his grandmother told the Daily Mail.

Valdi endured a year of auditions before his mom finally broke the news that he was the chosen one.

‘I had to do a lot of callbacks, Zoom auditions,’ he told Las Vegas Morning Blend earlier this month. ‘About a year later my mom told me, “Hey, you’re going to be filming in this young Michael Jackson movie.”

Sabine feels like Valdi’s mother Shiloh is trying to ‘erase’ them from his life (pictured with his grandmother Cybilla (second from left), his mother Shiloh (third from left) and his aunt Casey (second from right) at the Los Angeles premiere)

Valdivieso last heard from Shiloh (pictured) in November 2025 when she sent her some photos and said she would let them know when they would be in town to meet

‘And I just remember being so shocked, lost for words. I couldn’t even express any happiness because of how shocked I was.’

He added: ‘I got straight to work watching all his videos to get his mannerisms, how he got his body down… I actually practiced with Michael’s choreographers Rich and Tone [Talauega]… I’m glad that they were there for me.’

But as Valdi’s acting career started to grow, so too did the estrangement from his father’s family.

‘He was busy every time [we tried to see him],’ Valdivieso told us. Sabine also claimed Shiloh ‘would not always let us see him’.

The Valdivieso’s said they last saw Valdi in November 2022 for Thanksgiving. Valdivieso said she last heard from Shiloh in November 2025 when she sent her some photos and said Shiloh would let them know when they would be in town to meet.

Valdivieso said she would have loved to have been at the Los Angeles premiere of Michael ‘to support’ her grandson, adding: ‘It would’ve been nice if [Shiloh] would’ve involved us in a little bit of everything.’

Meanwhile, Sabine sees it as a ‘blessing’ that Valdi got close to Jaafar and others from the Jackson family since his father’s family isn’t a part of his own life. Prince Jackson, for one, often likes and comments on videos and images Valdi shares on Instagram.

Valdi has been hopping between talk shows including Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson’s eponymous shows, and in what felt like a sucker punch to Valdivieso, paid tribute to his maternal grandmother Cybilla Jackson, Shiloh’s mother.

‘We have so many videos, we have so many pictures. I mean, there’s proof [of memories] that he shared with us because he’s part of our family,’ Valdivieso said (Valdi pictured in 2021)

Valdi has talked about his mom and maternal grandmother in interviews, but has not mentioned the Valdivieso family (Valdi pictured on The Jennifer Hudson Show on April 22)

Valdi has been praised for his performance in Michael, starring as the young Michael Jackson and frontman of The Jackson 5

‘So I did a dance in front of my grandmother when I was really young,’ he told Extra. ‘I was five years old and she turned on the Smooth Criminal music video and I started dancing to it.’

He also gushed over his mom in a recent interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles: ‘One thing that always makes me smile, probably seeing my mom’s face, that always makes me smile… I’ll go over and give her a hug every time I come home from school.’

None of this has come as a shock to Sabine, who said: ‘[Shiloh] basically wants us erased from his life.’

A tearful Valdivieso added: ‘I was talking about it with my husband. I don’t think we’re going to see Juliano anymore because of what’s happening. Shi hasn’t really called.

‘Hollywood is not like how it used to be or the movie stuff… I just hope that they’re really careful with him because he’s so young and you got to watch who he’s with. Don’t trust anybody.’

Valdivieso has continued to show her support. In a clip shared by Extra’s Derek Hough, she commented: ‘Proud to be his Nonna (grandma in Italian) thank you for sharing.’

Sabine said the Valdivieso’s ‘would most definitely’ consider taking legal action should the estrangement continue.

‘I wouldn’t want to make any type of money off of this,’ she insisted. ‘I just want him to know that we’re still by his side. We’re always going to be there for him, and we just want that relationship back. We don’t want anything else from this.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Shiloh and Casey Jackson for comment.