Joseph Fiennes admits that his performance as Michael Jackson in 2017 for Sky was a mistake

You tend to hear more about the roles that actors enjoyed rather than the roles they didn’t, but in the case of Joseph Fiennes recently, his admission of a role back in 2017 is one that continues to dog him to this day. In a recent interview with The Observer, Fiennes was asked about his role as Michael Jackson in the Sky Arts original series ‘Urban Myths,’ which itself was already overshadowed by comments of a white man playing a black character.

The episode centred around a reported car journey shared between Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor (played by ‘Grease’ actress Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brando (played by ‘Succession’ actor Brian Cox) after the events that took place on September 11 2001, but Fiennes says taking the role was the ‘wrong decision’ and even asked the broadcaster to pull the episode. This, despite at the time Fiennes defending his casting as the King of Pop, stating to Entertainment Tonight that Jackson “definitely had an issue–a pigmentation issue–and that’s something I do believe. He was probably closer to my colour than his original colour.”

“I think people are absolutely right to be upset,” Fiennes said. “And it was a wrong decision. Absolutely. And I’m one part of that — there are producers, broadcasters, writers, directors, all involved in these decisions. But obviously if I’m upfront, I have become the voice for other people. I would love them to be around the table as well to talk about it. But you know, it came at a time where there was a movement and a shift and that was good, and it was, you know, a bad call. A bad mistake.”

Sky ultimately pulled the episode before airing due to the growing number of calls that the episode was in poor taste, with Jackson’s own child, Paris Jackson, tweeting at the time “It honestly makes me want to vomit.” “ I asked the broadcaster to pull it,” Fiennes now told The Observer. “And there were some pretty hefty discussions, but ultimately people made the right choice.” 

Sky’s call to pull the episode came with a statement from the broadcaster, stating: “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 lighthearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offence.”

Has anyone else ever portrayed Michael Jackson on screen or stage?

Asides from parodies of Michael Jackson popping up in episodes of South Park or the Scary Movie franchise, there have been some actors who have taken a serious approach to the role - with varying degrees of success.

Jason Weaver

A personal choice from myself, given I was alive and remember when ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ became a television event on TV2 in New Zealand during the ‘90s. Jason Weaver, who later went on to star in the teen comedy series “Smart Guy,” portrayed the 10 year old Michael and even lent his voice to the series. If that voice seems familiar, you’d be right if you’re a Disney fan; he was the singing voice for a young Simba in The Lion King. 

Navi Charles

Considered one of the foremost Michael Jackson impersonators in the world, Navi Charles seemed like a natural choice to take on the adult Michael Jackson in the Lifetime biopic ‘Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland.’ The film chronicles MJ's bodyguards: Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard guarding Michael Jackson and his children: Prince,Paris, and Blanket until his 2009 death and based on the tell-all book written by… the bodyguards themselves.

Flex Alexander

What’s the next step when someone has been once bitten, twice shy and yet returns to a role that bit them in the first place? We’d like to ask Flex Alexander, who not only portrayed MJ in a halloween episode of his US sitcom ‘One-on-One’ (throwback to the Trouble viewers who spent hours watching the channel in the ‘00s), but also in the VH1 TV film ‘Man In The Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.’

It’s been reported that MJ was not a fan of the portrayal, which Alexander responded by stating that he took the role only because it paid well, and decided to play up MJ as a joke. Harsh.

Myles Frost

From a critically mauled portrayal of Michael Jackson to a critically praised portrayal of the King of Pop, but this time we take ourselves to the world of musical theatre. Myles Frost portrayed Michael Jackson in the ‘MJ: The Musical,’ which opened in February 2022. Though the jukebox musical itself has received mixed reviews, Frost’s role was acclaimed, leading the performer to earn the Tony Award for Best Leading Role in a Musical in 2022 and received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theatre album earlier this year.