Actors who might play Michael in future movies

[Palmyra]

I have been thinking about this since before Michael died: whoever the actor might be, if the person playing young and/or old Michael is not African American, I refuse to watch the movie. Michael clearly said that, when he looked in the mirror, he saw a black man (I see a black man as well when watching him on a screen). I would be very offended (as a fan) by a non-black person playing the role of "old" Michael (old = after 1986). Also, no makeup used to make the actor "look white."

I wanted to get this off my chest, because I've been thinking about this for a while and it always really irks me.

 

[OneMoreChance]

Actually I think that it would be weird if the person playing older Michael had dark skin. The fact of the matter is that Michael had vitiligo and there's no way to get around that. If the person playing older Michael had dark skin it would just seem fake to me. If someone's going to make a movie it needs to be accurate!

Personally I don't see Michael as black or white. To me he's just Michael.

 

[uranusbluedanger1]

I have been thinking about this since before Michael died: whoever the actor might be, if the person playing young and/or old Michael is not African American, I refuse to watch the movie. Michael clearly said that, when he looked in the mirror, he saw a black man (I see a black man as well when watching him on a screen). I would be very offended (as a fan) by a non-black person playing the role of "old" Michael (old = after 1986). Also, no makeup used to make the actor "look white."

I wanted to get this off my chest, because I've been thinking about this for a while and it always really irks me.

That's an interesting point of view.

I have to agree with Jen. Michael Jackson suffered from vitiligo. The problem would not so much be the change of race in the actors, but the fact that a lot of movies never touch on the concept of vitiligo so that it might leave this ambiguous, almost strange transition. But, I think a well-made movie will actually touch on the vitiligo respectfully and tactfully, in which case, I feel that it would be perfectly acceptable, if not almost expected that a non-white person play his role after 1986.

Certainly Michael saw a black man. That was his identity and no one can take that away from him. A non-black actor playing a role post-1986 would not take away this fact... that would be assuming that identity goes as far as skin tone. I think using a non-white actor might provide an interesting concept for the movie: Michael Jackson saw himself as black regardless of the changes vitiligo had brought about... Again, it's not so much about the actors, but about how they play their roles. I would be more concerned about how his life story will be portrayed, what gets more emphasis over something else, than over the actor. But that's my two cents.

 

[Ben]

It would be weird watching anyone play Michael in a movie. I movie of Michael's life would in my opinion be wrong. The media have been telling the world their story in Michael's life, with tabloid stories and even the VH1 film of the media view of Michael's life Man In The Mirror.

Michael the person and his life are too complex to even make a 3hr movie, it wouldn't do Michael's life justice. Many people watch biographical movies and take them as the definitive view of a persons life. Most biographical often blur to truth with events that never happened. A life story is impossible to make in to a movie, especially Michael's. No actor could capture Michael, not even a black actor because Michael was too unique both as a personality and artist.

I would hope like Jimi Hendrix's estate, that Michael's estate would block any attempt to make his life in to a movie. If a movie were to be made, only a documentary movie, using actual footage of Michael using audio of him talking about various parts of his life, with interviews with his children (when they are adults), family, friends and work associates etc would be the best an only near accurate way of capturing who Michael was. I find the idea of some playing Michael in a film a huge turn off.

 

[swan1013]

I agree with you Ben, I don't want to see a movie about Michael because Michael was way too complex of a person for anyone to understand. I don't think his own family truly understood who Michael's was, let alone some hollywood director or actors. I think it's a nightmare trying to scout out people who not only looks like Michael throughout the different stages of his life, but also dance, and like I mention earlier BE Michael.

Honestly, what Michael has left behind, his music, his videos, his own words, his own work speaks more volumes than any movie could.

 

[LittleSusie50]

Quite frankly, I don't think there is ANY actor that could accurately portray Michael, period. The man spent his life in the spotlight, so what more do we need to know? Look at that sad movie VH1 made. It was a total joke. If they were gonna make a movie that pitiful, they could have let ME play Michael.
The Jacksons American Dream was good, but even he didn't convince me. He was a little too dramatic for my taste.
Just let Michael be. He's had enough.

 

[Ben]

The Jacksons American Dream was good, but even he didn't convince me. He was a little too dramatic for my taste.
Just let Michael be. He's had enough.

I thought The Jacksons American Dream was good, but it was a stereotype of who Michael was, not a negative one but one that was more of Michael being a child than an adult. When in reality I think Michael was more of an adult, who knew how to let go and be a child when he wanted to. I think Michael Jackson was neither adult or child, just Michael Jackson who still had many of the same interests as he did as child, which isn't as unusual as it sounds. Michael just manged to remember his thought process as a child, and never let go of the foundation of who he was before live experience as an adult began.

 

[privacy]

I agree with you, Ben. To make an accurate film (which just.. tastes sour in my mouth tbh) about Michael, the actor would have to *know* Michael. Otherwise it's just reading lines. Mike was so complex in his thoughts and understandings, I doubt anyone would be able to portray it accurately.

Perhaps in 5+years a film, like Ben said, with friends talking about him and clips of Michael being himself, would be nice. After all the negative dust has settled about him, it would be nice, for me, to see the truth of him triumph.

 

[mjj_05]

I think they could have a good movie if they don't try to psycoanalize Michael. He was a very private person. If they sit to the facts and don't incorporate all the media fodder and sensationalism, it could be good. I don't know.