Remember when actor Joseph Fiennes was cast to play Michael Jackson in a British film…what-you-wont-believe-who-playing-michael-jackson-upcoming-flick?
Well, ladies and gentlemen, he went ahead with it and the first trailer is out. Let’s just say it turned out as badly as it sounded.
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It was announced last January that Fiennes would play the King of Pop in Urban Myths, an eight-part TV comedy special that explores “true-ish” Hollywood stories. Fiennes’ episode involves a journey, first reported by Vanity Fair, that Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando supposedly took from New York City following the ensuing chaos after the 9/11 attacks.
Fiennes only briefly appears in the trailer, but you can’t miss him! His makeup and prosthetic nose are barely believable.
“’Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon’ is a Sky Arts comedy which takes a light-hearted look at a reportedly true event,” Sky Arts executives said in a statement at the time. “Joseph Fiennes is cast as Michael Jackson. It is part of a series of comedies about unlikely stories from arts and cultural history. Sky Arts gives producers the creative freedom to cast roles as they wish, within the diversity framework which we have set.”
The implications of having a White man play a Black man––no matter how he looked––is one thing. But Fiennes also looks TERRIBLE! Especially next to Stockard Channing who, at least, looks like a convincing Taylor.
It is not clear when the show will debut, but we will not be watching.