Dan Reed, the director of Leaving Neverland, a two-part documentary about child molestation allegations against the late Michael Jackson, is opening up about the decision to include explicit details in the film. 

Speaking with the Today show, the filmmaker explained why he chose that route, calling the information “incredibly graphic” with “no euphemisms whatsoever.” He also said he believes Michael’s true actions against Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck, the two men in the film who allege they endured abuse as children, as well as potentially other boys, went unchecked for too long under the guise of the singer wanting to “[live] out his childhood” with young boys. 

“For many years, Michael Jackson kind of hid in plain sight,” said Dan. “He portrayed himself as someone who never had a childhood and therefore was living out his childhood very much in the public eye — he’d be seen everywhere holding hands with a little boy — and he said that his interest in little boys was entirely innocent.”

“He admitted that he slept, spent nights with them, but nothing happened,” he continued. “And so for many years, the public bought into this. Everyone bought into this. And he was able to spend so much time in the company of little children without people thinking there was anything strange about this.”

Leaving Neverland airs Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. EST on HBO.