Justin Sullivan/Pool/WireimageIt seems like the late Michael Jackson himself would also be very unhappy with the casting decision for Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon.
Twitter went up in arms after it was revealed that Shakespeare in Love star Joseph Fiennes would be playing the King of Pop in a new half-hour TV comedy about an unconfirmed road trip the singer reportedly took with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
And now, a 1993 interview between MJ and Oprah Winfrey has resurfaced to prove that Jackson would not approve of Fiennes playing him in this project.
When asked by Winfrey about rumor than he wanted a white boy to play him in an early '90s Pepsi commercial (around 23 minutes into the clip), Jackson fired back, telling the host, "That is so stupid. That's the most ridiculous, horrifying story I've ever heard. It's crazy."
He continued to explain that always wants to stay true to his identity as a black man.
"It's my face as a child in the commercial," Jackson said. "Me when I was little. Why would I want a white child to play me? I'm a black American. I'm a black American. I'm proud to be a black American. I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am. That's like you [Oprah] wanting an oriental person to play you as a child. Does that make sense? Please people stop believing these horrifying stories."
Fiennes, 45, actually claimed to be as surprised as anybody, telling Entertainment Tonight, "I'm a white, middle-class guy from London. I'm as shocked as you may be."
The actor will join Grease star Stockard Channing who will take on the role of Taylor and Scottish actor Brian Cox will portray Brando.
Guess when it comes to certain things, it does matter if you're black or white.