Michael Jackson Reportedly Forgave Dad Joseph Jackson Before His D*ath Despite Ab*sive Childhood Claims: ‘He Really Began To Understand’

Michael Jackson Reportedly Forgave Dad Joseph Jackson Before His D*ath Despite Ab*sive Childhood Claims: ‘He Really Began To Understand’

Michael Jackson reportedly made peace with his father, Joseph Jackson, years before his 2009 d*ath, despite previously speaking out about the ab*se he endured as a child. The revelation comes from author and longtime Jackson family confidant J. Randy Taraborrelli in a new interview with PEOPLE.

Michael’s childhood has long been viewed through the lens of fame and discipline, with the singer previously alleging that Joseph was emotionally and physically ab*sive while managing the Jackson 5 during their rise to stardom.

In the 2003 documentary “Living with Michael Jackson,” the late superstar said his father ruled rehearsals with fear and strict punishment.

Still, Taraborrelli says Michael’s perspective changed later in life after becoming a father to Prince, Paris and Bigi.

“It’s really easy to paint Joseph Jackson as a villain because he gives you so much to work with. [But] as flawed as he was as a father, and Michael felt very strongly that he did many of the wrong things, [it was] for all the right reasons,” he said. “As he got older Joseph was a very, very different person. Michael told me, ‘I totally, totally forgive him.’”

Taraborrelli added that parenthood helped Michael better understand his father’s intentions.

“[Forgiveness] was not easy to come to, but once Michael had children of his own, that’s when he really began to understand Joseph,” he explained.

Michael also once said, “To this day I won’t lay a finger on my children. I don’t want them to ever feel that way about me.”

The complicated father-son relationship is revisited in the new biopic “Michael,” now in theaters.

What are your thoughts on the singer reportedly giving his father grace?