British Actor Joseph Fiennes to Play Michael Jackson in 9/11 Comedy | Jackson Family react “It’s Offensive”

A new comedy inspired project was announced a few days ago.

Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, is a TV movie to air on Sky Arts in the UK and it is based on an urban legend in which the King of Pop Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando go on a road trip after they are unable to catch a flight out of New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The movie will be starring British actors Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson, Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor and Brian Cox as Marlon Brando.

The Jackson family is not very pleased about the new Michael Jackson-inspired comedy project.

According to Entertainment tonight, Michael’s nephew, TJ Jackson stated that “It’s offensive to me and my family for my uncle Michael to be portrayed in a comedy taking place around 9/11. Like everyone else, he was distraught, saddened and trying to process what had just happened. Following the events of 9/11, my uncle, Michael, stayed with a family friend in New Jersey for a week before flying back. The rest of our family immediately took buses back to Los Angeles as planes were grounded. There was no road trip with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando.”

He also added “I have no comment on the casting of the project.”

Black Twitter is however not pleased about the casting and there has been a lot of backlash that a white man will be playing the role of Michael Jackson.

The actor to play the role, Joseph Fiennes, shared with Billboard, “I’m a white, middle-class guy from London. I’m as shocked as you may be.”

Do you agree with the casting of the project?

A 1993 interview between MJ and Oprah Winfrey has also surfaced online. In the clip (around the 23:00 mark) he was asked by Oprah Winfrey about rumor than he wanted a white boy to play him in an early ’90s Pepsi commercial.

He responded with “That is so stupid. That’s the most ridiculous, horrifying story I’ve ever heard. It’s crazy. “It’s my face as a child in the commercial. Me when I was little. Why would I want a white child to play me? I’m a black American. I’m a black American. I’m proud to be a black American. I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am.  That’s like you [Oprah] wanting an oriental person to play you as a child. Does that make sense? Please people stop believing these horrifying stories.”