Kat Graham’s Diana Ross Role Cut From ‘Michael’ Biopic
Kat Graham has confirmed that her scenes as Diana Ross were removed from the final cut of the Michael Jackson biopic due to legal considerations.
Scenes featuring Diana Ross in the highly anticipated Michael biopic did not make the final cut. Kat Graham, who was cast to portray the legendary singer, confirmed that her performance was ultimately excluded from the film.
Taking to social media, Graham provided clarity on why her scenes were omitted. “Ahead of the April 24 release of the Michael film, I want to share that certain legal considerations affected a few scenes, including the ones I filmed with an incredible cast,” she wrote on X. “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.”
The Legacy of Michael and Diana
The relationship between Diana Ross and Michael Jackson evolved from a professional mentorship into a deep, lifelong kinship. After Ross was credited with “discovering” the Jackson 5 in the late 1960s, she became a blueprint for Michael’s own solo superstardom. The two icons famously appeared together in the 1978 film The Wiz.
The production of the biopic has faced several challenges leading up to its release. Colman Domingo, who portrays Joseph Jackson, recently defended the film against allegations of “whitewashing” the late pop star’s legacy.
“The film takes place from the ’60s to 1988, so it does not go into the first allegations in, what, 2005? Basically, we center it on the makings of Michael,” Domingo explained during an appearance on the TODAY show. “It’s an intimate portrait of who Michael is. Through his eyes, truly. That’s what this film is, and there’s the possibility of there being a part two that may deal with other things that may happen afterwards. This is about the making of Michael. How he was raised, and how he was trying to find his voice as an artist.”
Michael is officially released in theaters today, April 24, 2026.