Bubbles the chimpanzee, the late Michael Jackson's faithful companion, will be the subject of a new Netflix movie, Deadline reports.
According to a bio posted online by the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Fla. where he now lives, Bubbles was born in a Texas biomedical lab in 1983. He was separated as an infant from his mother and sold to a Hollywood trainer on Jackson's behalf.
Bubbles achieved international fame as a young chimp, appearing in TV shows, videos and films, and went on tour with Jackson when he was 4. However, he eventually become too strong to be around people, and was sent first to an animal compound in California before heading to the Florida facility in 2005. Here's a video of him enjoying a play date:
In a sleight of hand that probably would be impossible today, Jackson bought two more pet chimpanzees after Bubbles "retired" from public life. They were later sent to a zoo and breeding farm, the bio says.
Jackson remained as Bubbles' owner until his death but did not make arrangements for his care in his will.
"As a result, we must continually raise funds from our supporters to provide care for Bubbles," the bio says.
Bubbles is an "185-pound, 4½-foot adult" who is "the dominant male in a group of chimpanzees that includes his best friend, Ripley, adult females Oopsie, Boma, Jessie, and Kodua, and the juvenile Stryker."
If you'd like to contribute to their care while awaiting the movie, check out this link.
