By Kayla DeKraker
Kirk Cameron reflected on the life of Michael Jackson and what it teaches us about knowing our identity.
“Behind the music, behind the spotlight, behind all of the dancing, Michael Jackson’s life asks you and me a deep question: Do we really want to be famous?” Cameron asked in a recent podcast episode.
A new movie about Jackson’s life, titled MICHAEL, debuted earlier this spring and has put the singer’s life back in the spotlight.
“What I found intriguing was the isolation of being the most famous person on the planet,” Cameron said, reflecting on the movie. “Think about that. He’s not just recognized, he’s not just admired; he’s constantly being watched, he’s constantly being analyzed and misunderstood. He’s being turned into something larger than life, like not even a person anymore.”
“And at that level, people can’t really relate to you anymore. They relate to their idea of you, and that’s where the loneliness begins,” he continued.
Related: Michael Jackson Remembered As “Good Father”
Cameron recalled his visit to Neverland Ranch, Jackson’s home, and what he learned from that experience.
“It looked like pure joy and whimsical, magical Disneyland on the outside,” Cameron explained. “In fact, I remember there was a whole crystal ballroom in there. It looked like a museum full of crystal chandeliers and vases and lamps. There was a toy room. There was a movie theater. There were giant ships floating in water with water guns, and the blue team against the red team. There was a replica of the Disneyland steam engine locomotive. There were rides, music, animals. I mean, it was color and music everywhere. It kind of felt like a place built to capture childhood wonder.”
Cameron then proposed a sad idea — that maybe Michael Jackson was trying to fill a void from his own childhood by creating this magical place.
“Underneath all of what I saw was an eerie quiet. It was a stillness that didn’t really match the surface, and it didn’t feel right,” he said. “And I remember thinking, you know, this kind of feels like there was a sadness about it, like someone trying to create externally with all their money what they’re missing internally, like there was an emptiness, a void.”
Cameron shared how as an actor, he can relate: “I never knew Michael Jackson, never met him personally, but I do know that when your identity starts to get shaped by millions of voices, it becomes very hard to hear your own.”
Cameron went on to share Matthew 16, where Jesus asks His disciples who He is. He explained that Jesus had confidence in His identity. In verses 15-16, it says, “’But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’”
Cameron noted, “That wasn’t public opinion; that was divine identity, and Jesus held on to that all throughout his life, no matter what, which way public opinions swayed, no matter what his friends said.”
Movieguide® gave MICHAEL a -1 content score.
“MICHAEL is best when it showcases Michael Jackson’s musical, dancing and creative talent. The movie’s musical and dance performances are great,” part of the review reads. “The movie gives viewers some insight into what experiences animated Michael. For example, it shows Michael retreating from his father’s wrath by finding comfort in childlike fantasy and caring for exotic animals.”
Movieguide® notes, “MICHAEL avoids examining the more controversial allegations against the pop star. It also has some foul language. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.”
Whether we are famous or not, knowing who we are in Christ is so important. Only He can give us our true identity, and the searching and seeking from celebrities is a stark reminder of that.
Read Next: Actress Natasha Bure: ‘I Want to Find My Identity in Christ’
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