Michael Jackson to be played by 'son'

Sep 21, 2009, 9:27 GMT

Michael Jackson's "son" is to play him in a new film.

Omer Bhatti - whom the late 'King of Pop' told friends he had fathered - will play Michael in a movie charting his rise to superstardom in the 80s.

A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Michael's story from childhood to the height of success is nothing short of astounding.

The family feel fans would love to see a dramatic retelling. They want to cover his childhood and family life but really focus on when his career went into overdrive."

Although Norwegian Omer - who has worked as a Michael Jackson impersonator - denies Michael is his biological father, he has revealed the singer used to tell him he was "like a son" to him.

He has also been welcomed by the Jackson family and sat in the front row at Michaels' Los Angeles memorial service in July.

Since Michael's death from Acute Propofol Intoxication in June, Omer has reportedly stayed at the Jacksons' California home.

Omer, 25, first met Michael in 1996 in Tunisia whilst on a family holiday with his mother Pia and stepfather Riz. He impressed the star with his dance moves and they became "best friends".

In 1997, the family moved into Michael's luxury estate, where Pia is believed to have worked as a nanny and Riz a driver.

Meanwhile, Michael's father Joe Jackson has claimed he tried to save his son from using prescription drugs shortly before his death, but was prevented by his bodyguards.

He said: ""I thought, 'I'll go get my gun and shoot my way to Michael.'

"I said to my wife, Katherine, 'We must get the boy out of there or he is dead in one week.' And one week later he was indeed dead."