Paris Jackson offended by choice of white actor to play her father, Michael

[Sarah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/artic...ffended-by-casting-of-white-actor-to-play-him

Michael Jackson's daughter Paris says she's "incredibly offended" that a white actor has been chosen to play the part of her father in a new TV film.

Joseph Fiennes, who's appeared in films like Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth, said he was shocked to be given the part last year.

But writing on Twitter, 18-year-old Paris said images showing what he looked like made her "want to vomit".

A petition's been signed by more than 20,000 people to boycott the movie.

Urban Myths is a collection of tales including one about Michael Jackson taking a road trip from New York to Los Angeles with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The pop singer died in 2009 aged 50.

The stories are described as "slightly tongue in cheek, mischievous and deliberately ambiguous" by Sky Arts on its website.

 

[KayLloyd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/artic...ffended-by-casting-of-white-actor-to-play-him

Michael Jackson's daughter Paris says she's "incredibly offended" that a white actor has been chosen to play the part of her father in a new TV film.

Joseph Fiennes, who's appeared in films like Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth, said he was shocked to be given the part last year.

But writing on Twitter, 18-year-old Paris said images showing what he looked like made her "want to vomit".

A petition's been signed by more than 20,000 people to boycott the movie.

Urban Myths is a collection of tales including one about Michael Jackson taking a road trip from New York to Los Angeles with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The pop singer died in 2009 aged 50.

The stories are described as "slightly tongue in cheek, mischievous and deliberately ambiguous" by Sky Arts on its website.

Wow, no wonder she's so upset. It was absolutely ludicrous and disrespectful to the Jackson family to cast a Caucasian actor to play Michael.

 

[Emelee]

A white guy playing a black guy with vitiligo. Go figure. Have they not heard of make-up? It's done all the time in this business, you know.
Or aren't there enough talented black actors who can play the part of MJ? Actually, that may not be a joke. The lack of diversity in the business hasn't really been good for black actors to get the real juicy parts and gather experience.

 

[Alexis]

But...



A black guy playing him would have to white up.... and likely have reconstructive surgery. That's a lot to ask of an actor.

 

[Emelee]

But...

View attachment 2202

A black guy playing him would have to white up.... and likely have reconstructive surgery. That's a lot to ask of an actor.

All actors would have to need surgery to get MJ's nose & chin.

Nah, all that's needed is make-up. Very light foundation and voila!

 

[TJames03]

It would make much more sense to have a white man play MJ than getting a man of color and slather pounds of white makeup on him every filming day.....

 

[Sarah]

I just think it's like something out of Bo Selecta. Michael was a genius, he should be respected. There'll never be anyone else like him.

 

[Sarah]

Actually, the programme has now been pulled:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38608070

Sky has said it will not air a TV programme about Michael Jackson after his daughter said she was "incredibly offended" by the portrayal of him.

The episode - part of a series called Urban Myths - had been due to air on Sky Arts.

Sky released a statement on Friday saying they had pulled one episode after concerns were raised by Paris Jackson.

The broadcaster said it "never intended to cause any offence".

Statement from Sky:


"We have taken the decision not to broadcast Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a half-hour episode from the Sky Arts Urban Myths series, in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson's immediate family.

"We set out to take a light-hearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offence. Joseph Fiennes fully supports our decision."

The stories had been described as "slightly tongue-in-cheek, mischievous and deliberately ambiguous" by Sky Arts on its website.

The episode told the story of Jackson taking a road trip from New York to Los Angeles with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Actor Joseph Fiennes had said he was shocked to be given the part of Michael Jackson last year.

On Thursday, Jackson's daughter Paris said on Twitter that trailer footage from the episode made her "want to vomit".

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

They pulled it because Paris didn't like it? What version of this story were any of the Jacksons ever going to like?

Hell, it should have been a damned feature film.

 

[Emelee]

It would make much more sense to have a white man play MJ than getting a man of color and slather pounds of white makeup on him every filming day.....

It wouldn't be more make-up than what's used otherwise. They put on an insane amount of make-up on actors, and have it look like they don't have much on at all. Male actors have on more make-up than I have ever had on.

 

[Alexis]

His estate is probably working on a movie about him where it wont mention any surgery or drug taking or any controversies surrounding him. A squeaky clean Disney-fied version of events.

And before everyone starts hating on me. I am a fan! But when something is there in front of you in black and white, quite literally! You have to acknowledge it. If a white actor played 6 year old Michael I could see the problem. Thing is he was whiter than I am when he passed away. And I'm from Ireland where we get 3 days of sun a year.

 

[Gabriel Maxwell]

But...

Before I scrolled, I thought your post was only the word 'but' and that first picture and I burst out laughing. The photo does speak sufficient volumes.

 

[Angela Channing]

A year after the "Oscars So White" issue, it seems wrong that the part of a prominent black icon would be cast in a TV show with a white actor. It looks like some producers are bending over backwards not to cast black actors. It's a bit like casting Morgan Freeman as Ronald Reagan in a biopic of his life and excepting people to just accept it as not being unusual.

 

[Alexis]

By all accounts this isn't a biopic. It's a fictional comedy caper. And isn't it set in 2001? When Jackson looked like this?

I can imagine equal controversy over a black actor having to whiten his skin colour for the role. It all seems too bizarre but then Jackson was bizarre. It's always going to come up offensive to somebody.

 

[James from London]

It's been "pulled" apparently. Bit of a shame, but I guess it'll just make it all the more notorious, kind of like the original story itself.

 

[Karin Schill]

I would actually have been interested in watching that movie. Probably because it depicted Elizabeth Taylor as well...

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Maybe if they'd cast a caucasion female as Jackson. Seriously. Maybe they should have.

I would actually have been interested in watching that movie. Probably because it depicted Elizabeth Taylor as well...

I always thought Stockard Channing looked like '70s Elizabeth. And in these movie stills, she indeed looks just like her.

 

[Karin Schill]

Oh it's with Stockard Channing?
Yeah I agree she does look a bit like Elizabeth. So I think she would probably have been good in the part. Which movie stills?

 

[Alexis]

Maybe if they'd cast a caucasion female as Jackson. Seriously. Maybe they should have.

Latoya could have did it.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Latoya could have did it.

Heh. I came here to post exactly that!