Last year, much to everyone’s shock and distaste, it was announced that Joseph Fiennes would play Michael Jackson in the forthcoming anthology series Urban Myths. The actor stars as Jackson opposite Stockard Channing’s Elizabeth Taylor and Brian Cox’s Marlon Brando, as they recount the urban legend of their road trip together just after the tragedy of 9/11. As you can imagine, the first look was not met warmly, and UK channel Sky Arts, who’ll air the series, has now pulled the upcoming episode from their schedule following concerns from Jackson’s family.
The decision not to release the controversial episode, titled “Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon,” came after the late musician’s daughter, Paris Jackson, Tweeted her dissatisfaction with the decision, along with general outrage from the public at large.
In a statement released to Billboard on the matter, Sky Arts said:
We have taken the decision not to broadcast “Elizabeth, Michael & 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.
As for those Tweets Jackson made after the poorly received first trailer, you can check them out below:
@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
Will the public ever see the Urban Myths episode in question? It’s hard to say. If it ever gets leaked, it probably won’t come easily, nor anytime soon. The station even pulled the trailer from their YouTube account. Indeed, they’re taking this one seriously, but one has to wonder why they didn’t, you know, question this decision in the first place? It wasn’t like the casting choice was celebrated or welcomed at any point in its conception. In any case, at least Sky Arts did the right thing in the end.
