“Where is the respect?”
Michael Jackson‘s daughter Paris has hit out at an “offensive” upcoming new TV series focusing on the late star’s long-rumoured attempt to flee New York following the September 11 attacks. The casting of white actor Joseph Fiennes as Jackson “honestly makes me want to vomit,” wrote Paris on Twitter after a trailer for the Sky Arts show debuted online this week.
“I’m so incredibly offended by it, as I’m sure plenty of people are as well,” Paris wrote on Twitter yesterday (January 12), while also criticising Stockard Channing, who plays Paris’ godmother Elizabeth Taylor in the series.
Joseph Fiennes has previously defended his role in the series, arguing that Jackson’s “pigmentation issue” means “he was probably closer to my colour than his original colour.” Paris however disagrees, describing his portrayal as “insulting.” Read her tweets below.
Reports that Jackson fled New York in a rental car with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando as the 9/11 attacks unfolded first circulated shortly after the attacks and have since gone down in Jackson folklore. Urban Myths, beginning on January 17, aims to bring this and other strange celebrity stories to the screen – one of the other stories told includes Game of Thrones actor Iwan Rheon portraying Adolf Hitler.
A petition has already been launched asking fans to boycott the episode, titled Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon, calling it “an insult to the very real professional struggles and health issues Jackson dealt with during his lifetime.” Sky Arts has yet to respond. [via NME]
