White Actor Playing Michael Jackson in Comedy - Internet erupts with anger
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:28 pm
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/j ... arssowhite
TL,DR: Joseph Fiennes, a white actor, is playing Michael Jackson in a 30-minute comedy special that is purportedly is based on a true story in 2001. There have been all kinds of outrage over a white actor playing him, and it's being compared to black face.
Like, I get it, but I can't help but feel this is perhaps an overreaction. I understand where people are coming from, and overwhelmingly I agree that casting white people in roles that are people of color is wrong (including all the examples given in this article). But I imagine finding a black actor with skin as light as Jackson's circa 2001 would be a bit on the difficult side. People have mentioned that they should have done just that, though I can't think of any black actors out there with bleached skin. I suppose they could just have cast any black actor, though that also would be sort of strange. Maybe I'm just wrong on this, so others can feel free to form a counterargument.
TL,DR: Joseph Fiennes, a white actor, is playing Michael Jackson in a 30-minute comedy special that is purportedly is based on a true story in 2001. There have been all kinds of outrage over a white actor playing him, and it's being compared to black face.
Like, I get it, but I can't help but feel this is perhaps an overreaction. I understand where people are coming from, and overwhelmingly I agree that casting white people in roles that are people of color is wrong (including all the examples given in this article). But I imagine finding a black actor with skin as light as Jackson's circa 2001 would be a bit on the difficult side. People have mentioned that they should have done just that, though I can't think of any black actors out there with bleached skin. I suppose they could just have cast any black actor, though that also would be sort of strange. Maybe I'm just wrong on this, so others can feel free to form a counterargument.