Amid the Michael Jackson biopic hitting theaters and breaking records, some off-screen drama has followed, with Nia Long reportedly heading to mediation with Lionsgate over a major pay discrepancy. Source: Astrida Valigorsky / Getty At the heart of the dispute is the portrayal of the Jackson family matriarch, Katherine Jackson. While Nia Long is a Hollywood staple with a career spanning decades, a report from Puck News' Matthew Belloni suggests that her salary for the blockbuster biopic does not reflect her status-or the contractual promises allegedly made by the studio.