Lionsgate’s Michael Film Sparks PETA Statement and Animal Welfare Debate Over CGI Chimp Bubbles Portrayal

As the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” premieres in theaters, Lionsgate has issued a landmark statement addressing concerns about the film’s portrayal of the singer’s chimpanzee companion, Bubbles. The studio emphasized that while Bubbles is depicted in the movie using CGI technology, the portrayal is based solely on historical fact and is not intended to endorse keeping chimpanzees as pets.

Lionsgate shared the statement exclusively with PETA ahead of the film’s release, noting ongoing constructive dialogue with the organization about the depiction of Bubbles. The studio confirmed that the real Bubbles, now 43 years old, has been living a peaceful life at the Center for Great Apes sanctuary in Florida for more than 20 years after retiring from show business in 2005.

The biopic follows Jackson’s life in the 1980s, a period when public understanding of primate welfare in captivity was limited. Lionsgate’s statement acknowledges that Bubbles was sent to a Hollywood trainer at age seven—when male chimpanzees would typically remain with their mothers in the wild—and remained there until his retirement.

PETA has welcomed the studio’s approach, particularly its use of CGI rather than live animals, and is urging audiences never to keep primates as pets. The organization highlights that chimpanzees and other primates are often bred in captivity, separated from their mothers as infants, and denied natural lives when kept in human homes.

According to PETA’s Director of Animals in Film and Television, Lauren Thomasson, modern understanding reveals that primates have complex physical, social, and behavioral needs that cannot be met in private settings, regardless of owner intent. She noted that while animals may survive in domestic captivity, survival should not be equated with well-being.

The Center for Great Apes, where Bubbles currently resides, is an accredited sanctuary providing lifelong care for chimpanzees and orangutans rescued from entertainment, the pet trade, and research facilities. Bubbles’ continued presence there underscores the long-term commitment required to properly care for primates after their use in human-centered environments.

Lionsgate’s statement concludes by reinforcing that the film’s depiction of Bubbles serves a historical purpose within Jackson’s biographical narrative and does not advocate for primate ownership. The studio maintains that its collaboration with PETA reflects a shared commitment to animal welfare awareness in media portrayals.