Leaving Neverland, the two-part documentary about the child sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson is streaming on All 4 and HBO now. Jackson and his estate have strongly denied all allegations relating to sexual abuse. The documentary is told from the perspective of two of Jackson’s alleged victims, James Safechuck and Wade Robson and their families.
Why did Wade Robson’s family move to America?
Wade Robson’s story is one of the two main voices in Leaving Neverland.
Members of his family also feature including his sister, brother and mother.
Robson was a huge fan of Jackson from a young age and in the documentary talks about how he admired the singer ever since he saw the Thriller music video.
Robson as a young boy practised Jackson’s iconic dance routines and put on performances impersonating him.
Robson first met Jackson at age five, when he attended one of Jackson’s concert dates Australia where the family had a meet and greet.
Robson was even invited up on stage to perform at the concert.
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Two years later in 1990, Robson visited the US with his once group Johnny Young’s Talent School to perform at Disneyland.
Robson’s mother contacted Jackson prior to their trip to America.
During his trip to Disneyland, Jackson invited Robson and his family to stay at this home on the Neverland Ranch in California.
In the documentary, Robson recalls how he and his sister slept in Jackson’s bed that evening and woke up to hear Jackson crying about how the family were leaving.
The decision that the rest of Robson’s family would travel to the Grand Canyon for five days while Robson, who was just seven years old at the time, would stay at Neverland.
In the documentary, Robson’s mother admitted she had “no hesitation whatsoever” about letting her son stay with Jackson.
After leaving America, Jackson kept in contact with the Robson family, calling to speak to Wade constantly.
When he was nine years old, Robson and his family relocated from Brisbane, Australia to Los Angeles and Jackson helped the Robson family with the move.
Whilst Robson was living in America he appeared in three of Jackson’s music videos including Black or White, Jam and Heal the World.
HOW TO RE-WATCH LEAVING NEVERLAND
From age 11, in Hollywood Robson went onto choreograph his own class in Hollywood and received his first choreography job for R&B group Immature at just age 14.
From there, Robson choreographed Britney Spear’s music video for I’m A Slave 4 U in 2001
Still a teenager, Robson choreographed Spears’ Pepsi commercials, including her iconic 2001 Super Bowl commercial.
He also choreographed Spears’ 1999 performance at the Video Music Awards and several world tours.
Robson also choreographed for NSYNC when he was growing up in America, including their No Strings attached world two and Pop.
From there, his career took off as he hosted his own MTV series – The Wade Robson Project – and was choreographed routines soon So You Think You Can Dance, one for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding CHroegorpaher.
Robson was set to direct the film Step Up Revolution, which was released in 2012 but pulled out for personal reasons.
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Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, Robson confessed that in 2011 he suffered a nervous breakdown over the abuse and moved to Hawaii with his wife and son.
He said: “Dance and film all got painted black for me because it was all so connected with Michael. So how could I keep doing any of that stuff ever again?
“So yeah, I quit all of it and I tried to bury it all alive and I swore I’d never dance or make music or make films ever again.
“I threw a smoke bomb and moved to Hawaii. ‘Agents, managers, don’t call me. I’m done.’”
In 2013 and again in the Leaving Neverland documentary, Robson alleged that Jackson had sexually abused him on his visits to the US and when he moved there with his family.
Robson alleged he was assaulted between the ages of seven and 14.
In 2005, when Jackson was on trial for child sexual abuse allegations, Robson testified in his defence.
In Leaving Neverland, Robson admitted becoming a father and nervous breakdowns led him to tell the truth.
Robson is married to actress Amanda Rodriguez and the pair moved to Hawaii with their young son.
Jackson and his estate have denied all allegations of sexual abuse.
Ahead of the premiere of Leaving Neverland, the Jackson estate issued a statement which read: “This is yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson.
“This so-called ‘documentary’ is just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations. It’s baffling why any credible filmmaker would involve himself with this project.”
Leaving Neverland is streaming on All4 and HBO now
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