Michael Jackson’s Estate Releases Scathing Statement After ‘Leaving Neverland’ Emmy Win
The controversial HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which told the stories of two men who claimed to have been sexually abused by Michael Jackson, took home the award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday.
While the team behind the doc is celebrating their big win, the Jackson estate took the opportunity to condemn the film by claiming, once again, that the allegations made against the late King of Pop are completely fabricated.
"For a film that is a complete fiction to be honored in a nonfiction Emmy category is a complete farce," the estate said in a statement issued to Entertainment Weekly and Yahoo. "Not one shred of proof supports this completely one-sided, so-called documentary which was made in secrecy and for which not one person outside of the two subjects and their families were interviewed."
Leaving Neverland, which aired in two parts, focused on the accusations of sexual assault and misconduct made by James Safechuck and Wade Robson. The film was met with emotional responses from viewers since its release and was slammed by the Jackson family and estate for being a "rehash of dated and discredited allegations."
Dan Reed, the documentary's director, thanked Safechuck and Robson during his acceptance speech at the Emmys ceremony and told ET that being recognized by the Emmys committee "does help to validate the film."
