Where is Michael Jackson’s Chimpanzee Bubbles Now? Inside His ‘Peaceful’ Life and Why Filmmakers Used a CGI Chimp in ‘Michael’
Michael Jackson’s love of animals takes center stage in the new biopic “Michael.”
Featured in the movie are several of Jackson’s pets that he owned when he still lived at his family estate in Encino, Calif., including a llama, giraffe and a python as well as the most famous of them all, his chimpanzee Bubbles.
The film introduces Bubbles when he is first delivered to Michael (Jaafar Jackson) as his family looks on in horror. His mother, Katherine (Nia Long), questions her son’s choice, asking him if he realizes that chimpanzees are “wild animals” that don’t belong in a house in the suburban San Fernando Valley.
Instead of using a real chimp, director Antoine Fuqua used CGI to portray Bubbles, as he also did with the llama, giraffe and python.
“We have had continuing constructive dialogue with PETA about the portrayal of Bubbles the chimpanzee as a pet,” Lionsgate said in an exclusive statement released to Variety through PETA. “This portrayal is simply based on historical fact and is not intended to be an endorsement of keeping chimpanzees as pets. Bubbles is portrayed in the movie using CGI technology and the real Bubbles has been living a peaceful life at the Center for Great Apes sanctuary for more than 20 years.”
Jackson rescued Bubbles in the 1980s from a research facility in Texas. The King of Pop brought Bubbles on tour and the chimp was even his plus-one at his lawyer John Branca’s wedding. He and Bubbles sipped tea together while visiting government officials in Japan in 1987.
Jackson then moved Bubbles to his Neverland Ranch, where he slept in a crib in Jackson’s bedroom. When he became bigger and more aggressive, Bubbles was sent to an animal trainer for a couple of years. Now 43 years old, Bubbles has lived at the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary in Wauchula, Fla., since 2005.
“So much more is known today about what chimpanzees and monkeys need to thrive, including freedom and the companionship of their peers, making film sets and human homes unacceptable for their wellbeing,” said PETA’s director of animals in film and television Lauren Thomasson. “PETA praises Lionsgate’s decision not to use real animals and urges audiences to never buy primates from breeders or keep them as pets.”
Great Apes founding director Patti Ragan says Jackson was making plans to visit Bubbles at the time of his death in 2009. The Jackson estate continues to financially support Bubbles’ care, she said. “He’s such a sweet, sweet guy,” Ragan told me this morning. “People still picture him as cute little baby with a pink face that Michael carried around. But he’s big boy now, about 170 pounds. He’s living with a group of five, and we’re introducing some youngsters into that group right now. Bubbles helped raise two babies when he came here.”
One of his closest mates is Oopsy, a 52-year-old chimp that was an understudy on the late 1970s action sitcom “B.J. and The Bear.”
At 43, Bubbles is considered an elderly primate. He spends much of his time napping. “He’s good with the youngsters, but he’s moving a little slower” Ragan said. “Sometimes it takes him longer to climb ladders but he eats well.”
According to a recent story in the New York Times, a biopic about Bubbles was being pitched in Hollywood based on a script by Isaac Adamson. While a sequel to “Michael” hasn’t been announced, producers have said a follow-up film could focus even more on Jackson’s love of animals.
Featured in the movie are several of Jackson’s pets that he owned when he still lived at his family estate in Encino, Calif., including a llama, giraffe and a python as well as the most famous of them all, his chimpanzee Bubbles.
The film introduces Bubbles when he is first delivered to Michael (Jaafar Jackson) as his family looks on in horror. His mother, Katherine (Nia Long), questions her son’s choice, asking him if he realizes that chimpanzees are “wild animals” that don’t belong in a house in the suburban San Fernando Valley.
Instead of using a real chimp, director Antoine Fuqua used CGI to portray Bubbles, as he also did with the llama, giraffe and python.
“We have had continuing constructive dialogue with PETA about the portrayal of Bubbles the chimpanzee as a pet,” Lionsgate said in an exclusive statement released to Variety through PETA. “This portrayal is simply based on historical fact and is not intended to be an endorsement of keeping chimpanzees as pets. Bubbles is portrayed in the movie using CGI technology and the real Bubbles has been living a peaceful life at the Center for Great Apes sanctuary for more than 20 years.”
Jackson rescued Bubbles in the 1980s from a research facility in Texas. The King of Pop brought Bubbles on tour and the chimp was even his plus-one at his lawyer John Branca’s wedding. He and Bubbles sipped tea together while visiting government officials in Japan in 1987.
Jackson then moved Bubbles to his Neverland Ranch, where he slept in a crib in Jackson’s bedroom. When he became bigger and more aggressive, Bubbles was sent to an animal trainer for a couple of years. Now 43 years old, Bubbles has lived at the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary in Wauchula, Fla., since 2005.
“So much more is known today about what chimpanzees and monkeys need to thrive, including freedom and the companionship of their peers, making film sets and human homes unacceptable for their wellbeing,” said PETA’s director of animals in film and television Lauren Thomasson. “PETA praises Lionsgate’s decision not to use real animals and urges audiences to never buy primates from breeders or keep them as pets.”
Great Apes founding director Patti Ragan says Jackson was making plans to visit Bubbles at the time of his death in 2009. The Jackson estate continues to financially support Bubbles’ care, she said. “He’s such a sweet, sweet guy,” Ragan told me this morning. “People still picture him as cute little baby with a pink face that Michael carried around. But he’s big boy now, about 170 pounds. He’s living with a group of five, and we’re introducing some youngsters into that group right now. Bubbles helped raise two babies when he came here.”
One of his closest mates is Oopsy, a 52-year-old chimp that was an understudy on the late 1970s action sitcom “B.J. and The Bear.”
At 43, Bubbles is considered an elderly primate. He spends much of his time napping. “He’s good with the youngsters, but he’s moving a little slower” Ragan said. “Sometimes it takes him longer to climb ladders but he eats well.”
According to a recent story in the New York Times, a biopic about Bubbles was being pitched in Hollywood based on a script by Isaac Adamson. While a sequel to “Michael” hasn’t been announced, producers have said a follow-up film could focus even more on Jackson’s love of animals.