Kendrick Sampson has shared new insights with The Credits about stepping into the role of legendary producer Quincy Jones in the upcoming biopic Michael directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Sampson revealed that taking on the role was both an honour and an immense challenge, especially given Quincy Jones’ extraordinary legacy across decades of music, film scores, and cultural influence. He even met Jones a couple of times in real life, describing those encounters as deeply formative and “almost divine,” saying they stayed with him throughout his preparation.
The actor admitted he only had two days to prepare for the role, forcing him to rely heavily on his personal memories, intuition, and his earlier conversations with Jones. Rather than focusing only on major historical milestones, Sampson concentrated on the human, behind-the-scenes moments, how Quincy worked in the studio, how he interacted with collaborators, and what drove his creativity on a day-to-day level.
He was particularly struck by the sheer scale of Jones’ career, noting he didn’t initially realise the extent of his work beyond iconic projects like Thriller, including producing major television and global events. This helped him build a more intimate understanding of the man behind the music.
A key takeaway from Sampson’s portrayal is Jones’ philosophy of creativity and spirituality, summed up in the idea of “leaving space for God in the room.” Sampson said he repeated this mindset to himself on set, using it as a grounding force to capture Quincy’s tone, presence, and approach to music.
He also emphasised that for Jones, music wasn’t just technical or mathematical, it was spiritual and emotional, with melody coming from something beyond pure structure. This belief shaped how Sampson approached the role, focusing on authenticity, care, and connection rather than imitation alone.
Ultimately, Sampson described the experience as a way of understanding Quincy Jones not just as a musical genius, but as a deeply human artist whose work shaped culture, collaboration, and community.
Michael is still currently in theatres.
