We're just weeks away from the premiere date of the highly anticipated JANET documentary. Five years in the making, fans are getting closer to seeing superstar Janet Jackson [1] open up about her extraordinary life and record-breaking career like never before. The 55-year-old icon is notoriously private, but within the first few seconds of the trailer, she's heard saying that sharing her story is "just something that needs to be done." Toward the end of the first trailer [2], released in Sept. 2021, the "Rhythm Nation" singer declares: "This is my story, told by me. Not through someone else's eyes. This is the truth. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. This is me."
On that note, keep reading to find out everything there is know to about this two-part documentary special, including its premiere date, celebrity guest appearances, and trailer.
JANET Documentary Plot
The full 3-minute trailer shows Jackson addressing her previous marriages, being "guilty by association" after her late brother Michael Jackson [3] faced allegations of child sexual abuse in 1993 and again in 2003, and the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show controversy [4]. "They build you up and once you get there, they're so quick to tear you down," she says, referencing a newspaper headline reading, "Jackson Banned From Grammys after Super Bowl Stunt."
The five-time Grammy winner also opens up about struggling to step out of her older brothers's shadow as well as her strained relationship with her late father, Joe Jackson. "There were times when I just didn't understand where I actually fit in," she says. "My father was very strict. He was in charge of my life, my career. My father said, 'You're gonna sing.'" From the looks of it, no topic is off limits!
JANET Documentary Celebrity Cameos
The official trailer features cameos from some of Jackson's closest friends, peers, and former collaborators, including Paula Abdul [5], Mariah Carey [6], Ciara, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson [7], Regina King, Tyler Perry [8], Janelle Monae, Q-Tip, and Teyana Taylor. "She's a blueprint," King says in the clip. Monae adds, "She is a lot of the image that is out today."
JANET Documentary Premiere Date
The two-part documentary will air simultaneously on Lifetime and A&E on Jan. 28 and 29, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Jackson's self-titled debut studio album.