Joseph Fiennes to play Michael Jackson in British TV movie

[marv2]

[[CNN)—With all the controversy over #OscarsSoWhite, now may not have been the best time to announce that a white actor has been cast as African-American pop star Michael Jackson:


http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/entertainment/joseph-fiennes-michael-jackson-feat/index.html

[sansradio]

Stop playing. I guess Meryl Streep will play Katherine. GTFOH.

[marv2]

I nominate Gabourey Sidibe to play Elizabeth Taylor!

[sansradio]

I nominate Gabourey Sidibe to play Elizabeth Taylor!

Why the hell not? She'd probably knock it out of the park!:D

[arr&bee]

Before blacks get all geeked up,remember that[mj]was white near the end.

[midnightman]

Well he had vitiligo and it didn't help that he had bleaching creams in his possession at the time of his death. I'm already over it.

[marv2]

Well he had vitiligo and it didn't help that he had bleaching creams in his possession at the time of his death. I'm already over it.


They never really explained the bleaching creme, but they could not find ONE black British actor for the role? It's so stupid. I have to get a coffee LOL!

[marv2]

Here's something strange. Michael Jackson was only 5'9". This guy Fiennes is 6'0". He doesn't look at all like MJ.

[midnightman]

They never really explained the bleaching creme, but they could not find ONE black British actor for the role? It's so stupid. I have to get a coffee LOL!

There's a bunch of light skinned black men that could've played MJ... MJ's complexion was not really as white as it appears [[I think his autopsy said his complexion was light brown for the most part and darker brown in patches via vitiligo).

[antceleb12]

There's a bunch of light skinned black men that could've played MJ... MJ's complexion was not really as white as it appears [[I think his autopsy said his complexion was light brown for the most part and darker brown in patches via vitiligo).

Not making excuses for the choice of actor, but Michael DID look white as hell for the last decade or so of his life. As for the patches of light brown, those weren't visible to the public.

Frankly, with advancements in make-up, I don't understand why they can't take a black actor [[since MJ was black, obviously) and put make-up on him - especially to show a gradual transition between skin tones.

[marv2]

Not making excuses for the choice of actor, but Michael DID look white as hell for the last decade or so of his life. As for the patches of light brown, those weren't visible to the public.

Frankly, with advancements in make-up, I don't understand why they can't take a black actor [[since MJ was black, obviously) and put make-up on him - especially to show a gradual transition between skin tones.

ANT, the point is they can find good qualified black actors for the role. They did not want to do that. Why is it that Idris Elba is not right for the part of a fictional secret agent James Bond, but Joseph Fiennes can play a real person, Michael Jackson?

[midnightman]

^ The hypocrisy stinks, doesn't it?

[marv2]

^ The hypocrisy stinks, doesn't it?

It's almost criminal...........

[BigAl]

I get the sense that the whole project is purely tongue-in-cheek: probably more like a short absurdist sketch than an actual film, since it's only going to be a thirty-minute presentation.

For all of their admirable qualities, all three principal characters have been the butts of innumerable jokes over the years. [[Taylor And Brando primarily for their weight gains and neuroses, and Jackson for his own neuroses, self-image issues, and the rumors of pedophilia.) I suspect casting someone as inappropriate as Fiennes [[other than his facility for playing troubled characters) was a deliberate attempt to underscore the farcical nature of the production, reminiscent of The Cockettes' Trisha's Wedding, where bearded drag queens played the principal female roles of Pat and Trisha Nixon. [[Sylvester also did a turn as Marian Anderson in that film.)

I agree that it might have been a better move, politically, to cast an African American in the role, but casting someone who so obviously is not would add to the absurdity of the whole thing.

I'll be interested to know who's been cast in the other two roles.

[sansradio]

I get the sense that the whole project is purely tongue-in-cheek: probably more like a short absurdist sketch than an actual film, since it's only going to be a thirty-minute presentation.

For all of their admirable qualities, all three principal characters have been the butts of innumerable jokes over the years. [[Taylor And Brando primarily for their weight gains and neuroses, and Jackson for his own neuroses, self-image issues, and the rumors of pedophilia.) I suspect casting someone as inappropriate as Fiennes [[other than his facility for playing troubled characters) was a deliberate attempt to underscore the farcical nature of the production, reminiscent of The Cockettes' Trisha's Wedding, where bearded drag queens played the principal female roles of Pat and Trisha Nixon. [[Sylvester also did a turn as Marian Anderson in that film.)

I agree that it might have been a better move, politically, to cast an African American in the role, but casting someone who so obviously is not would add to the absurdity of the whole thing.

I'll be interested to know who's been cast in the other two roles.

Brian Cox and Stockard Channing, both excellent choices which leave me scratching my head about Fiennes' casting. As others have said, there are too many qualified brothers who could have played MJ. Stinks to high heaven.

[Jimi LaLumia]

Streisand has just been signed to play the lead in the Diana Ross bio pic and will re record a new version of The Supremes Sing and Perform Funny Girl album

[marv2]

I get the sense that the whole project is purely tongue-in-cheek: probably more like a short absurdist sketch than an actual film, since it's only going to be a thirty-minute presentation.

For all of their admirable qualities, all three principal characters have been the butts of innumerable jokes over the years. [[Taylor And Brando primarily for their weight gains and neuroses, and Jackson for his own neuroses, self-image issues, and the rumors of pedophilia.) I suspect casting someone as inappropriate as Fiennes [[other than his facility for playing troubled characters) was a deliberate attempt to underscore the farcical nature of the production, reminiscent of The Cockettes' Trisha's Wedding, where bearded drag queens played the principal female roles of Pat and Trisha Nixon. [[Sylvester also did a turn as Marian Anderson in that film.)

I agree that it might have been a better move, politically, to cast an African American in the role, but casting someone who so obviously is not would add to the absurdity of the whole thing.

I'll be interested to know who's been cast in the other two roles.

I've never heard of this guy Joseph Fiennes, but I think it is wrong and stupid to have him play Michael Jackson. If it becomes available here in America, I will not watch it!

[jobeterob]

BigAl must be right

At least someone of appropriate stature for Miss Ross

[Bluebrock]

I've never heard of this guy Joseph Fiennes, but I think it is wrong and stupid to have him play Michael Jackson. If it becomes available here in America, I will not watch it!

he is a good actor actually. He is the brother of Oscar winning actor Ralph Fiennes [[Schlinders List) and has appeared on UK and USA tv and films, [[Google him), but that does not make him right for this role. If he pulls this one off he is an even better actor than I gave him credit for.

[BigAl]

Brian Cox and Stockard Channing, both excellent choices which leave me scratching my head about Fiennes' casting. As others have said, there are too many qualified brothers who could have played MJ. Stinks to high heaven.
With that information in mind, I do agree that Fiennes is entirely wrong for the role of Jackson. Channing and Cox do bear physical resemblances to Taylor and Brando, while Fiennes isn't even remotely evocative of Jackson in 2001. By that time, Jackson had undergone much physical transformation beyond the skin-bleaching. In order to resemble him, Fiennes will have to drop about twenty or thirty pounds and cut off most of his nose. While the former is manageable, the latter certainly isn't. Of course, ANY actor, black, white or otherwise, would be unable to look like that, short of facial mutilation, so I agree that an African American actor would have been a less controversial choice and there would have been plenty of capable candidates in that regard. I don't for a minute doubt Fiennes' ability to channel the essence of Jackson since he's a very good and underrated actor [[like Casey Affleck, suffering, unfortunately, from the inevitable comparisons with his more famous brother), and if he's able to work this role convincingly [[if it's even widely viewed), it would be a great résumé piece for him, even though it should rightfully have gone to someone more genetically qualified.

[Bluebrock]

With that information in mind, I do agree that Fiennes is entirely wrong for the role of Jackson. Channing and Cox do bear physical resemblances to Taylor and Brando, while Fiennes isn't even remotely evocative of Jackson in 2001. By that time, Jackson had undergone much physical transformation beyond the skin-bleaching. In order to resemble him, Fiennes will have to drop about twenty or thirty pounds and cut off most of his nose. While the former is manageable, the latter certainly isn't. Of course, ANY actor, black, white or otherwise, would be unable to look like that, short of facial mutilation, so I agree that an African American actor would have been a less controversial choice and there would have been plenty of capable candidates in that regard. I don't for a minute doubt Fiennes' ability to channel the essence of Jackson since he's a very good and underrated actor [[like Casey Affleck, suffering, unfortunately, from the inevitable comparisons with his more famous brother), and if he's able to work this role convincingly [[if it's even widely viewed), it would be a great résumé piece for him, even though it should rightfully have gone to someone more genetically qualified.

It is a fairly low budget production made specifically for a minority arts channel. Normally such a production would pass below the radar without any fuss but now it is likely to be purchased by TV networks around the world and will attract a large audience.

[milven]

Streisand has just been signed to play the lead in the Diana Ross bio pic and will re record a new version of The Supremes Sing and Perform Funny Girl album

;););)
................

[milven]

They were talking about this on THE VIEW. Whoopee read a quote from Michael in a 1993 interview with Oprah. answering rumors that he wanted a white child to play him in a commercial "why would I want a white child to play me. I'm a black American, proud of my race and proud of who I am."

Just to flip this over for a minute, it seems that Live Broadway Theater does not care about casting black in black roles and whites in white roles. The toughest ticket to get on Broadway right now is HAMILTON about our founding fathers. Here is a picture of the actor who plays George Washington
http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2011/03/01/chrisjacksonx-large.jpg


And this is the actor who plays James Madison [[our 4th President)
http://www.ibdb.com/cache/person/4958401442515769.jpg

[captainjames]

I was more curious as to what it was about and my understanding it has to do with a road trip the three took after 911 to Ohio ? Is this true ?

[soulster]

Face it: The White movie industry doesn't want to deal with Blacks. There is also the widespread belief that Whites really don't want to pay to see movies with Black people in prominent roles these days.

I fully believe there is a war on Black people.

[marv2]

I was more curious as to what it was about and my understanding it has to do with a road trip the three took after 911 to Ohio ? Is this true ?

According to one of Michael's aides, it is a true story. I do remember that many of my co-workers could not get back to NY for 3-4 days because of all the cancelled flights etc. I've driven from NYC to Ohio many times and it is an pretty easy route on I-80.

[marv2]

Face it: The White movie industry doesn't want to deal with Blacks. There is also the widespread belief that Whites really don't want to pay to see movies with Black people in prominent roles these days.

I fully believe there is a war on Black people.

Danny Devito is being crucified right now for saying basically the same thing!

[arr&bee]

Sounds like a very low budget parody to me.

[johnny_raven]

What's next? An all-white version of "Raisin In The Sun"?

[marv2]

What's next? An all-white version of "Raisin In The Sun"?

Could be. Some people raised all kinds of Hell over the live production of "The Wiz" that aired on NBC last December. They complained about why there were no white actors in the show.

[midnightman]

Face it: The White movie industry doesn't want to deal with Blacks. There is also the widespread belief that Whites really don't want to pay to see movies with Black people in prominent roles these days.

I fully believe there is a war on Black people.

It's been a war since the first black African was brought to this racist country... so yeah, you're right. It is. It's racist all around the world. The BBC is no different from Hollywood.

[captainjames]

and so it begins

[marv2]

and so it begins

What do you mean?

[antceleb12]

ANT, the point is they can find good qualified black actors for the role. They did not want to do that. Why is it that Idris Elba is not right for the part of a fictional secret agent James Bond, but Joseph Fiennes can play a real person, Michael Jackson?

marv, that's what I was trying to say in the second paragraph...