Twitter explodes: White actor cast to play Michael Jackson in roadtrip biopic

A former Jackson staffer told Vanity Fair that they made it as far as OH, with Marlon allegedly stopping along the way at roadside Burger Kings and KFC.

The new Sky Arts film Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon riffs on the urban myth that the stars took a spontaneous road trip across the country after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

Still, when you can put Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando in a auto heading back to Hollywood with the black cloud of 9/11 chasing them, you don’t let facts get in the way of a good story. The story has never been confirmed. Along with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brandon, Jackson took off for all points west, hitting the highways in lieu of the shut-down airports, renting a vehicle and eating bad road food.

Many are calling into question the casting of a white actor in the role of Michael Jackson, while Fiennes himself spoke about the project, acknowledging playing the role would be “a challenge”. “But also it’s rather attractive and poignant about their relationships as well”, he said.

Joseph Fiennes was cast to play Jackson in the movie that will air on Sky Arts.

Joining Fiennes in the drama will be Brian Cox as Brando and Stockard Channing as Taylor.

Then again, one of Taylor’s assistants told the magazine that the actress actually stayed in NY, visiting Ground Zero and praying in a church.

One person wrote on The Voice’s Instagram account: “I’m disgusted by the casting choice”. The channel said it was “part of a series of comedies about unlikely stories from arts and cultural history”.

The news comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the Academy has received a barrage of criticism for leaving out black actors from Oscar nods.