#NewYark: Joseph Fiennes is to play Michael Jackson in a new television programme about a possibly fictional road trip the singer took with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando after 9/11.Director of Sky Arts Phil Edgar-Jones revealed plans for the programme back in December when he wrote a blog for the Huffington Post.
He confirmed that it will be called Elizabeth, Michael And Marlon.
Taylor and Jackson were good friends
It is well known that the King of Pop was good friends with Hollywood icon Liz Taylor but there is little evidence the journey actually took place in 2001.
Fiennes told WENN he has seen the script: “It’s a challenge. It’s a comedy. It doesn’t poke mean fun but it’s a story, possibly urban legend, whereby Michael, Marlon Brando, and Liz Taylor were all together the day before 9/11 doing a concert.
“Airspace was shut down and they couldn’t get out and Michael had the bright idea to go to hire a car and drive.
Marlon Brando starred in Jackson’s film You Rock My World in 2001
“So the three of them got in a car and drove to Los Angeles. It took them a while because they had to stop at a lot of Burger Kings for Marlon; but they got out!
“It’s a lovely thing about Michael’s relationship with Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando.
“It’s a fun, light-hearted tongue-in-cheek road trip of what celebrity of that kind is like.
“But also it’s rather beautiful and poignant about their relationships as well.”
The news that a white actor will be playing Jackson caused some controversy on social media.
@Sukanya tweeted: “It is #OUTRAGEOUS. It’s an insult. #JosephFiennes as #MJ. #Justsayno.”
However, @RAUTTING provided some reasoning for the casting decision when they tweeted: “To be fair it’s easier to cast Joseph Fiennes than ask a black actor to bleach his skin after all this is 2001 Jackson not 80s Jackson.”
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