Joseph Fiennes Says Playing Michael Jackson Was the ‘Wrong Decision’ and a ‘Bad Mistake’: ‘I Asked the Broadcaster to Pull It’

“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 pulled the episode before its intended broadcast. The company said in a statement at the time:

“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.