The executors of Michael Jackson’s estate are pushing back at a challenge from his daughter Paris Jackson over their spending, arguing her objections “betray a complete lack of understanding about how the motion picture industry works,” according to Billboard.
John Branca and John McClain, who have overseen the late King of Pop’s fortune since his 2009 passing, submitted a response Thursday in a Los Angeles probate court, standing by their management of the estate and their involvement as producers on the upcoming Michael biopic.
Paris, 27, previously questioned several expenses tied to Branca and McClain last fall, accusing them of trying to “enrich and aggrandize” themselves through their producer roles on the film. She also took issue with Branca’s decision to cast Miles Teller as a younger version of himself.
In their filing, the executors dismissed her claims as baseless.
“These meritless objections are a profound waste of the court’s time and, ironically, the estate’s money,” they wrote in their response.
Branca and McClain highlighted their long-standing success in managing Michael’s legacy, noting their efforts have brought in billions for the estate, with $65 million already paid out to Paris. A large portion of that income comes from projects they produced, including MJ The Musical and Michael Jackson’s This Is It.
“The objections complain about the executors’ qualifications to act as producers but seem to be wholly ignorant of the fact that the executors have produced several projects involving Michael Jackson. Those efforts have been wildly successful,” attorney Jonathan Steinsapir stated on behalf of the pair.
They also pointed out that This Is It remains the highest-grossing concert documentary ever, even outperforming Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.
The executors further defended a 2021 settlement with Quincy Jones, describing it as a strategic move designed “to effectively guarantee peace with Quincy Jones and his heirs forever.”
Addressing Paris’s criticism over the estate not investing in stocks and bonds in 2021, they explained that the IRS required funds to remain in escrow due to ongoing tax disputes tied to the sale of Michael’s stake in Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
“The executors recognize that they are, by definition, the ‘grown-ups’ here — that is the whole point of a fiduciary,” the filing read. “No payment made by this estate, in its 16 year history, has been disallowed.”
In a statement to Billboard, Steinsapir added, “Ms. Jackson and her attorneys are once again abusing the courts and the legal system by making a series of false allegations as part of a media campaign to distract from their legal setbacks and the inherent weakness of their case.”
