Where Is Michael Jackson’s Chimpanzee Bubbles Now? Truth Revealed

Nearly 17 years after Michael Jackson‘s death, his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles is still aping around.

The monkey, now 43 years old, is still alive and thriving at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.

Patti Ragan, the founder of the animal sanctuary, told Variety in an interview on April 24th that people remember Michael as a small, adorable baby with a pink face. However, she explained that he’s now a much larger animal, weighing around 170 pounds.

She explained that he’s currently living with five other people, and they’re in the process of adding some new, younger individuals to the household.

Bubbles lived with Michael Jackson at Neverland Ranch when he was young. In 2005, he was transferred to the Great Ape Sanctuary, where he reportedly assisted in caring for two infant chimpanzees.

She said he’s great with kids, but he’s not as quick on his feet these days. He might take a bit longer to climb ladders, but he still has a good appetite.

Now, Bubbles loves eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens, and she also has fun playing with backpacks that have Velcro closures.

“He likes to put his treasures in them,” Ragan added, “and carry them around.”

Even after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009 at age 50, his estate continues to pay for the care of his chimpanzee, Bubbles, according to the Great Ape website.

Despite being a bit shy and preferring his own company, Bubbles is a playful cat. He likes to have fun by playfully splashing water or sprinkling sand on visitors.

However, Bubbles is quite camera-shy.

Bubbles is surprisingly hard to photograph, even though he’s naturally very handsome. According to the Great Apes website, he tends to turn away whenever he sees a camera.

That’s one reason Bubbles isn’t featured in the new Michael movie – they used computer-generated imagery to create the chimp instead.

Lionsgate has been having productive conversations with PETA regarding the depiction of Bubbles the chimpanzee as a pet in their film. They stated that this portrayal is based on actual events from the past and doesn’t mean they support owning chimpanzees as pets.

For what the rest of the Jackson family thinks about Michael, keep reading…

According to lead producer Graham King, Michael Jackson’s oldest child was present on the set each day, as he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s Los Angeles premiere on April 20th.

Prince Jackson has been supportive of his cousin Jaafar Jackson’s acting debut, attending premieres in Los Angeles and Berlin. In an April 11th Instagram post, he praised Jaafar, son of Jermaine Jackson, calling it “incredibly special” to see him portray his uncle Michael. Prince believes Jaafar’s talent, dedication, and spirit made him the perfect choice to bring Michael’s story to the screen.

As someone who follows these family dynamics closely, it was interesting to hear the different perspectives on Michael Jackson. Colman Domingo, who brilliantly portrayed Joe Jackson, mentioned that Prince and Paris were supportive of their father’s legacy. But Paris herself actually disagreed with that assessment, which really highlights how complex their relationship was.

In August 2025, Michael’s daughter posted on Instagram, saying it was strange that anyone would think she helped out on a movie set, as she wasn’t involved at all. She jokingly added, ‘Don’t say I was ‘helpful’!’

She explained that she’d read an early version of the script and shared her concerns about parts that felt untrue or off. When the writers didn’t make those changes, she decided to let it go, saying, ‘It’s not my problem,’ and wished them well.

The following month, she explained her feelings in Instagram videos, saying that the creators will do what they want, and she hadn’t spoken up before because she believed many fans would be pleased. She felt it catered to a narrow segment of her father’s fanbase who still hold onto unrealistic expectations.

Hollywood biopics are “sold to you as real,” Paris said, but they’re “sugar-coated.”

She claimed the story being told was manipulated, filled with both mistakes and outright lies. She said she simply couldn’t accept that kind of dishonesty.

Paris responded to claims that she dislikes her father, explaining it’s not about wanting control over his movie. She feels the film contains many inaccuracies, and she values honesty more than profit or publicity. She clarified that her issue isn’t with him personally, but with the way the movie was made.

Bigi, who is known for being Michael Jackson’s most private child, hasn’t spoken publicly about the film, but he did attend the premiere in Berlin on April 10th.

Having my cousins and the rest of my family present was incredibly important to me,” Jaafar shared with TopMob News on April 20. “This is a family story, and it all began in Gary, Indiana, so their presence meant everything to me.”

Michael’s sister, the youngest of Joe and Katherine Jackson’s ten children, requested that her story not be told.

LaToya Jackson said at the Los Angeles premiere that she hoped everyone in the family could have been involved in the movie. However, Janet was asked to participate but respectfully chose not to, and her decision should be honored.

Following a Page Six article in March claiming Janet clashed with filmmakers over nearly every scene and upset Jermaine at a family viewing, La Toya Jackson told Entertainment Tonight that the report was false. She stated firmly, “There was absolutely no problem whatsoever.”

Director Antoine Fuqua shared his deep admiration for Janet Jackson, telling Variety that her support of his actor, Jaafar Jackson, was most important to him.

La Toya Jackson praised Jaafar’s performance at the Los Angeles premiere, telling TopMob News he was “absolutely fantastic” and perfectly captured the essence of her brother. She expressed immense pride in his work.

The fifth oldest Jackson sibling emphasized how crucial family involvement was for the movie, explaining to The Hollywood Reporter that while people might think they understand the story from what they’ve read, the family itself has the final say on what’s accurate.

Jaafar said Marlon left feeling proud of his performance, telling TopMob he assured his nephew it was ‘unbelievable.’

Marlon said the movie appeared accurate to him. He recalled visiting the set during filming of the Jackson’s 1984 Victory Tour and being struck by how much the actor resembled Michael Jackson, saying, ‘Wow, he looked just like Michael.’

Jaafar’s father was very proud, telling TopMob that his son earned the role through hard work.

Before starting his role, Jaafar wanted to make sure his son understood the challenges ahead. As he told Fab TV at the Berlin premiere, he was stepping into a difficult position with high expectations – ‘a tough set of shoes to fill’.

Michael’s nephew Taj Jackson told critics to beat it.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on April 21, the son of Tito Jackson expressed frustration with how the media has portrayed his uncle, Michael Jackson. According to Variety, he stated that the public will soon have the chance to form their own opinions after watching the new movie about Michael Jackson, and he anticipates that some critics who previously offered negative assessments will be proven wrong. He jokingly added that he’s looking forward to seeing those critics ‘eat crow’ and isn’t afraid to revel in it.

On April 22nd, Tito Jackson’s son posted on X that he was going to see the Michael documentary again. He explained he didn’t want to miss the experience of being in a theater filled with energy surrounding his uncle, Michael Jackson, who he believes deserves the recognition, and his cousin, who earned it. He also feels Michael’s fans deserve to see this film, and is excited for the world to remember or learn the truth about who Michael really was.

2026-04-25 04:17

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