Entertainment
Michael Jackson’s kids honour late star with moving tribute at Tony Awards-Dominique Hines-Entertainment – Metro
His legacy continues.
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Michael Jackson’s children Paris and Prince honoured the late performer in a moving speech at last night’s Tony Awards.
Prince, 25, and Paris, 24, took to the stage at the 75th annual ceremony, held at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, to introduce a performance by the cast of MJ: The Musical – a stage show based on their father’s life.
During their appearance, the duo took the opportunity to remember the late star’s love of musical theatre.
‘A lot of people seem to think our dad Michael Jackson changed popular music forever and who are we to disagree?’ said Prince.
‘But what people may not know is he loved musicals, on film and on the stage.
‘That’s why we are so incredibly honoured to introduce the night’s first nominee for best musical, MJ, which, using many of his iconic hits, looks at the complexities and brilliance of our father’s process.’
Michael Jackson’s children Paris and Prince made the touching tribute as they introduced the cast of ‘MJ’ The Michael Jackson Musical at the 75th annual Tony Awards on Sunday (Picture: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
A proud Paris greets attendees before the star-studded ceremony (Picture: Getty Images)
The musical charts Jackson’s Dangerous tour, with the star seen here performing on the tour at Wembley (Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns)
The hit Broadway show was a big winner on the night.
It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won four, including best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for Myles Frost as well as best sound design and best lighting design.
The show, which hit the stage last year and has been criticised by some for overlooking the accusations of child abuse levelled against the Thriller singer, focuses on behind-the-scenes drama as Jackson prepared for his 1992 Dangerous World Tour.
It features hits including Dangerous, Beat It and Billie Jean.
The cast of MJ (L-R) Antwayn Hopper and Myles Frost pose alongside Paris and Prince at the prestigious event (Picture: Getty Images)
Jackson’s children have long been outspoken defenders of their late father’s legacy.
Paris recently told Naomi Campbell on her YouTube interview series No Filter, that her father – who died in 2009 – instilled a strong work ethic in her and her two brothers.
The siblings attended the launch of ‘MJ’ The Michael Jackson Musical opening night in February (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)
‘My dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated, and not just showing us like the glitz and glam, like hotel hopping, five-star places,’ she revealed.
‘Growing up, it was about earning stuff. If we wanted five toys from FAO Schwarz or Toys R Us, we had to read five books.
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‘It’s earning it, not just being entitled to certain things or thinking, “Oh, I got this.” It’s like working for it, working hard for it – it’s, it’s something else entirely. It’s an accomplishment.’
Other winners at last night’s Tony Awards included Jennifer Hudson and RuPaul, with their hit stage show A Strange Loop winning best musical, and Broadway transfers of West End adaptations of The Lehman Trilogy winning best play, best director and best actor in a play.
The play’s British director, Sam Mendes, collecting his second Tony award, said it was ‘a season of such rampant creativity and diversity’ before thanking his colleagues for ‘keeping this show alive during some pretty dark days’.
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