Urban Myths Trailer Freaks Us All Out with Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson

The UK’s Sky Arts released a new trailer for Urban Myths that seems like an SNL sketch but is actually a real thing coming to television.

Do you know who Ralph Fiennes is? Yes, you do. He played Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. Do you know who Joseph Fiennes is? That’s his brother who hasn’t been in anything of note for Western audiences since playing Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love. His latest project, Urban Myths, maybe the wildest ill-conceived idea of 2017, as this very white actor has been cast to play….Michael Jackson.

When the news broke of this casting last year, there was a major uproar, as one can imagine. It did not help that it was announced right around the time #OscarsSoWhite was trending large. Whitewashing such an iconic black artist seemed jawdropping, if not unthinkable.

Now Sky Arts posted the new trailer on YouTube, which should kill any hope of this project finding it’s way back into anyone’s good graces. In fact, it’s closer to horrifying than it is “endearing”. Check it out below:

Obviously, there are many famous actors stepping into various roles here. For example, Stockard Channing will play Elizabeth Taylor. But that looks semi-legitimate. Fiennes’ portrayal doesn’t. In fact, Fiennes’ run at the end of trailer as Michael Jackson skips through the woods feels like a mockery than any sort of real acting. It’s almost as if Fiennes wants to use this role for his comedic showcase — which is great, except that he’s doing it with little regard to Michael Jackson’s legacy, or even likeness for that matter.

Also, for the Whovians in the room, don’t you think he looks familiar?

Image via BBC

Fiennes attempted to defend his position, but there’s little to say when you look that bad:

"“[Jackson] definitely had an issue, a pigmentation issue, and that’s something I do believe. He was probably closer to my color than his original color.”"

Ahem. The fact that Fiennes worded it as “my color” versus “his original color” is problematic alone. Just because Fiennes said it’s “not in any way malicious”, doesn’t mean his PR and management team shouldn’t have stepped in and advised him against taking this role.

“It’s actually endearing,” Fiennes said.

Uh, hello, no, it’s not. It’s scary and weird, and in super poor taste. It’s the stuff of nightmares.

Even if the concept seemed interesting, the creepy Michael Jackson portrayal makes it almost hard to watch. Urban Myths begins on Jan. 19 on Sky Arts.

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