There are some controversies you just can’t outrun. When it was announced a year ago that Joseph Fiennes would be playing Michael Jackson in an episode of the upcoming anthology series “Urban Myths,” a storm of concern erupted over the decision. The episode of the series, “Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon,” went ahead into production anyway, and this week, the first teaser of Fiennes performance went online….and time did not heal all wounds.
U.K. channel Sky Arts has announced that they will not be airing the episode after all, which dramatized the urban legend of the road trip that took place just after 9/11, when Jackson left New York in a car with Elizabeth Taylor (played by Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brando (played by Brian Cox). The move comes in the wake of more concern about the portrayal of Jackson in the episode, and criticism from Paris Jackson, the musician’s daughter, who tweeted “it honestly makes me want to vomit.”
“It angers me to see how obviously intentional it was for them to be this insulting, not just towards my father, but my godmother Liz as well,” she added. “Where is the respect? They worked through blood sweat and tears for ages to create such profound and remarkable legacies. Shameful portrayal.”
Here’s the network’s full statement via Billboard:
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 offense.
Joseph Fiennes fully supports our decision.
It’ll be interesting to see if “Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon” ever sees the light of day, but I can’t imagine that to be the case anytime soon (especially considering that the trailer featuring footage of Fiennes as Jackson has been yanked from Sky Arts’ YouTube channel). Thoughts? Let us know below.
@SkyArts 1/4 We have taken the decision not to broadcast Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon, a 30min episode from the Sky Arts Urban Myths series.
— Sky Arts (@SkyArts) January 13, 2017
@TheMJCast 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.
— Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) January 11, 2017
@TheMJCast it angers me to see how obviously intentional it was for them to be this insulting, not just towards my father, but my godmother liz as well
— Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) January 11, 2017
@TheMJCast where is the respect? they worked through blood sweat and tears for ages to create such profound and remarkable legacies. shameful portrayal
— Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) January 11, 2017