We’re still scratching our heads and trying to figure out how White British actor Joseph Fiennes was tapped to play Michael Jackson in an upcoming comedy, and we now have confirmation that the King of Pop would not have approved of the casting.
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MJ fans have unearthed a 1993 interview that Jackson did with Oprah Winfrey, reports Billboard. During the interview, Winfrey brings up rumors that a White child would be playing a young Jackson in an upcoming commercial and asks how the singer would feel about it.
“That’s the most ridiculous, horrifying story I’ve ever heard,” he said. “It’s crazy…Why would I want a White child to play me? I’m a Black American. I am proud to be a Black American. I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am.”
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He likens the claims to an Asian child being cast as a young Winfrey and asks if that makes any sense. We couldn’t agree with Jackson more.
Watch the video below (skip ahead to 23:45 to get to the convo) and tell us what you think of the film’s casting.