Michael Jackson School Days: Danny Bonaduce Recalls Teen Years

As audiences continue to revisit the life of Michael Jackson through the hit biopic Michael and a growing number of documentaries, former child star Danny Bonaduce is offering a rare firsthand account from long before Jackson became the biggest entertainer on the planet.

During a recent appearance on the Pop Culture Retro! podcast, Bonaduce revealed that he attended school with Jackson while both were navigating life as young performers. The Partridge Family star said they first met “on the Columbia lot” while working on separate productions before reconnecting years later at Cal Prep, a school designed for working child actors and entertainers.

By then, Jackson was already becoming a major star thanks to the Jackson 5. Bonaduce remembered seeing him at school and recognizing that his classmate was operating on a different level than most young performers.

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“I see Michael again, and, you know, he was a pretty big star at that point,” Bonaduce said. “Not what he would become, but he’s a pretty big star.”

Rather than push himself into Jackson’s orbit, Bonaduce said he kept his distance. “I just kind of held back a little,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Nice to see you again.’”

The moment that stayed with him happened during a chance encounter near the school office. Bonaduce said he finally decided to ask a question that had been bothering him for years.

“I said, ‘You know, Michael, I’ve known you forever. How come you never speak?’” Bonaduce recalled.

Jackson’s answer left an impression.

“Because I’m in constant remembrance of God,” Jackson reportedly replied.

Bonaduce admitted the response wasn’t exactly what he expected from a teenager.

“I said, ‘Well, that’s cool, but what about chicks?’” he recalled.

The conversation ended almost immediately.

“‘Hey, what about chicks?’ Boom. Gone,” Bonaduce said with a laugh. “Just gone like a ninja.”

Bonaduce said his relationship with Jackson didn’t end at school. He revealed that the two reconnected years later when Jackson invited him and his children to visit his home.

The story adds another layer to the increasingly personal portrait of Jackson that has emerged in recent months. Antoine Fuqua’s Michael has centered heavily on Jackson’s humanity, with star Jaafar Jackson saying he focused on capturing his uncle’s “true essence” rather than simply copying his mannerisms.

Meanwhile, Nia Long, who portrays Katherine Jackson in the film, recently described Michael as “such a real person” who always made an effort to connect with people.