Donny Osmond Opened Up About Relationship With Michael Jackson

Years after the death of Michael Jackson, Donny Osmond is opening up about the similarities the two artists shared that transcended their musical careers.

Osmond, who rose to fame in the 1970s as part of the popular family band the Osmonds, recounted his memories of the late singer in the new documentary “Larger than Life: Reign of the Boybands.”

“I spent a lot of time with Michael Jackson. I mean, you look at the Osmonds and the Jackson 5, the comparisons of the two families are just uncanny,” Osmond said, per Entertainment Weekly.

Osmond’s and Jackson’s family dynamics also shared many similarities.

″There’s nine children in each family,” the “Puppy Love” artist said. “Mike and I are both the seventh child of nine. Our mothers’ birthdays are on the same day. Michael and I are the same age.”

The two artists both started their careers in family boy bands and both continued their success in solo careers. Osmond said he and the “Thriller” artist would often hang out to “laugh and reminisce.”

“Michael said something to me one day,” Osmond recalled. “He said, ‘Donny, you’re the only person on this planet that knows what my childhood was like.’”

The “Go Away Little Girl” singer also mentioned that Jackson would often open up about his relationship with his father.

Joe Jackson, characterized by the Guardian as “one of the most monstrous fathers in pop,” reserved some of his worst punishments for Michael during his upbringing.

Osmond described his own father, George Osmond, as “very strict” in a 2001 Guardian interview, and recalled his dad beating him on one occasion. But he nevertheless praised him as “a hero” who worked hard for his children.

“It’s easy to blame the parent,” Osmond said at the time. “I got over that quickly and realized my father is not perfect but he did the best he could.”

Now, Osmond says his family was vital to his success in the music industry.

“You look at the dangers of show business in general, whether you’re a single artist or a boyband, I don’t know if I could have been able to survive show business if I didn’t have my family,” he said, per EW.