For Judah Edwards’s first feature film, he portrayed Young Tito Jackson (Rhyan Hill) in this year’s release of Lionsgate’s Michael, alongside Juliano Valdi, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter and Jayden Harville (who played the other young The Jackson 5 brothers), with the film following the early life of Michael Jackson, and Judah, along with his fellow cast members, attended the Hollywood premiere at Dolby Theatre. In the 2023 Hulu psychological drama series Saint X, Judah played Young Gogo (Josh Bonzie), and as a voiceover actor, he voices Penn in the podcast series Six Minutes, was the singing voice of AJ in Nickelodeon‘s Blaze and the Monster Machines, and in the Netflix series Dee & Friends in Oz – which is the retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Judah voices Tin / Quentin. Catching up with Judah, we found out from him about portraying Young Tito Jackson in this year’s release of Michael, filming as Young Gogo in the psychological drama series Saint X and his voiceover work.
What was it like booking your role of Young Tito Jackson (Rhyan Hill) in this year’s release of Lionsgate’s Michael, and how much did you know about Michael Jackson’s life and career before auditioning?
Booking the role was a dream come true. Growing up in a household with parents who loved music, I was no stranger to Michael’s discography. We had a CD of all The Jackson 5’s #1 hits, which I played on repeat as a kid, so to say I was a huge fan would be an understatement. The role combined my passion for acting with my love for music in a way that felt tailored specifically to me.
How was it getting into character as Young Tito Jackson and being part of The Jackson 5 with Juliano Valdi, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter and Jayden Harville?
Despite my prior knowledge about Michael, I had to delve deeper into the origins of The Jackson 5. More importantly, I had to find the role Tito played in all of this, which, to my surprise, was a crucial one. Tito getting into trouble for breaking his dad’s guitar was how the family learned that he could actually play.
What was it like reading the script to Michael – which follows the early life of Michael Jackson – and what were your scenes like to film?
When I first read the script, I realised how in-depth the film truly planned to go. It takes viewers behind the closed doors of the Jackson family home, depicting intimate moments that shaped Michael and his brothers. I was really fortunate to have castmates who became like my brothers in real life, and I think that chemistry shows on screen.
What do you feel you learnt from your time working on Lionsgate’s Michael, and how was it having it as your first feature film?
During my time on the project, I learned about the different departments involved in filmmaking. I made sure to ask a lot of questions on set each day. By the time the project was finished, I felt I had gained a bird’s-eye view of a film set and how it operates. I also learned that off-screen chemistry is just as important as on-screen chemistry, so it’s great to be able to get to know your castmates and scene partners.
Is there anything you found most rewarding about filming for a new Michael Jackson project, and what do you remember from your first day on set as Young Tito?
Since this was my first movie and such a major project, my first day on set I definitely felt like I was in over my head. However, Antoine (Fuqua) did a great job of making everyone feel comfortable and free to create. Shooting at Hayvenhurst was certainly the most rewarding part of the project for me because it gave me such an intimate view of the Jackson family’s lives. I was lucky enough to see some photos of Michael and the family that aren’t publicly available.
Can you tell us about the experience attending the Hollywood film premiere at Dolby Theatre, and how was it reuniting with your fellow cast members?
The experience was wonderful. There were so many spirt, music and entertainment legends in attendance to pay their respects to Michael and the film. I also hadn’t seen my castmates since the reshoots in mid-2025, so it was like a big reunion for us. I definitely made sure to spend time with them while we were all together.
You played Young Gogo (Josh Bonzie) in the 2023 Hulu psychological drama series Saint X, what was this like to do?
This experience definitely stretched me as an actor. Prior to this opportunity, I had only done theatre and voiceover work. Making my on-screen debut in a foreign country and learning a new dialect for the role were great growth opportunities. All in all, the final product of seeing myself on screen was extremely rewarding.
As a voiceover actor, you voice regular character Penn in the podcast series Six Minutes; can you tell us about the series and your character and what is it like to record for?
The series is really about one girl’s adventure to try to recapture a critical relationship that she’s lost. My character Penn befriends her and accompanies her on the journey. Podcasting and voiceover work isn’t too different from regular acting, but they give you the freedom to take the emphasis off physicality and place more focus on using your voice as an instrument to convey emotion. It’s one of my favourite forms of acting.
How was it recording the singing voice for AJ in Nickelodeon’s Blaze and the Monster Machines?
This experience was also a new adventure for me because I recorded all the audio from home. I set up the microphone in my closet and worked with a technician from Nickelodeon to make sure my sound was right.
In the Netflix animated series Dee & Friends in Oz, you could be heard as Tin / Quentin, what was it like being involved with the Netflix retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and what was the character like to voice?
This project is very special to me because it marked the start of my professional acting career – it was the very first project I booked. Prior to this project, I had done local and community theatre, but had never recorded in a professional studio. I learned a lot from the process because it really stretched me as both a singer and an actor. I also had an amazing sound engineer (shout out to Benji!).
Where does your love of performing come from and how did you get started in it?
My parents were pastors when I was growing up, so, as a toddler, I would reenact sermons that I had heard. I would also mimic the characters I heard in Disney movies, like Tarzan. I was always watching or listening to some form of entertainment.
I later started doing plays in church. My parents noticed I had a gift for memorising lines and reenacting scenes, so my mom put me in acting classes. It was through a special programme at my acting school that I got my agent and manager.
Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?
City of God is one of my favourite films, as well as Inside Man. I also loved the series Snowfall.
What do you enjoy most about having an acting career?
Acting is a unique profession because you can get better at it by simply living life. Being able to pull from real experiences is a crucial part of the craft. It also allows for a form of self-expression that can cross over various media and genres.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Listening to my favourite artists like Leon Thomas, Stevie Wonder and Che, playing the piano, as well as making music that I will hopefully release one day.
Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping the next few months bring you?
Viewers can catch me in upcoming episodes of Six Minutes OOT. I’ve also worked on a couple of independent projects recently.
I’ll be a freshman at Hampton University this fall, so I’m looking forward to starting my college journey.
Follow Judah on: