24 hours on from the first trailer of Urban Myths being released, Paris Jackson has lashed out about the whitewashing of her father, saying the show’s promo makes her “want to vomit.”
“I’m so incredibly offended by it, as I’m sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit,” the 18-year-old tweeted.
Released on Wednesday, the trailer for the UK satire series shows a number of parody plotlines involving celebrities and historic figures. Bob Dylan looking for a guy named Mike, Cary Grant trying acid, and Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando and Michael Jackson all taking a car ride across America after 9/11 (a car ride which did actually happen).
The major issue that so many are having with the trailer, though, is the fact that Jackson - an African American man who suffered from vitiligo - is being played Joseph Fiennes, a caucasian actor.
"It's easy to see why the story would make a compelling film -- but it's harder to understand why the actor best known for his role in Shakespeare in Love was the first choice to play one of the world's most iconic black musicians," a petition boycotting the casting decision reads.
"While there was much speculation during his life that Jackson 'wanted to be white,' the simple fact of the matter is that Jackson's own words and actions showed that was untrue time and time again," the petition continues.
"Despite a public struggle with vitiligo, a rare skin disorder that results in the loss of pigment, he identified in interviews as a proud black man and went out of his way to fight for better treatment of black artists in the entertainment industry.
"In fact, in a 1993 interview with Oprah, he was offended at the very suggestion of being played by a white actor in a commercial! This casting is an insult to the very real professional struggles and health issues Jackson dealt with during his lifetime."
Almost 21,000 people have signed the petition in agreement. (Post continues after gallery.)
Michael Jackson.
According to Jackson's nephew, Taj Jackson, this kind of treatment towards the pop icon's memory is nothing new.
"Unfortunately, this is what my family has to deal with. No words could express the blatant disrespect," he tweeted on Wednesday.
Despite the backlash, Urban Myths' director has defended his decision to cast Fiennes, telling The Guardian, “We were casting Michael Jackson in 2001 and that obviously is a challenge in terms of the physical resemblance.
“We were really looking for the performance that could unlock the spirit, and we really think Joe Fiennes has done that. He’s given a really sweet, nuanced, characterful performance.”
Urban Myths airs on January 19.
Top Comments
The casting crew were in between a rock and a hard place here
I saw a clip of this movie this morning. I haven't laughed so hard in ages seeing MJ skip across the road. I'm probably going to hell already.
It actually does look pretty funny. Save me a seat in Hell, would you?