Yesterday, Twitter exploded over news that a white, British actor named Joseph Fiennes (little bro of actor Ralph Fiennes) had been cast to play Michael Jackson in a film about a fictitious post-9/11 road trip he takes from New York to Los Angeles with Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor.
Now, Fiennes has addressed the backlash and says he's surprised by it, considering the film is a fantastical farce to start with. He also offered the worst reason ever for why he's qualified to play the King of Pop.
“I’m a white, middle-class guy from London,” the 45-year-old actor told Entertainment Tonight about being cast in the role. “I’m as shocked as you may be.” He continues, “[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.”
We don't even know where to start with this one. 

Watch MJ as he really was — skin tone and all — in this incredible throwback clip from the BET Awards:

BET.com is your No. 1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music. 

(Photos from left: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)