But as unbelievable as that plot is in itself, we're finding the decision to cast Joseph Fiennes as a Black man hard to wrap our heads around. Oh, what ironic timing Hollywood has. The choice to cast a white actor as a Black icon is a slap in the face — particularly during the high-tension atmosphere surrounding the #OscarsSoWhite controversy . This is a painfully perfect example of how Black actors are denied lead roles that can potentially be recognized by The Academy. And it's personally insulting to Black audiences who are yet again forced to see a white man tell their story. We're almost expecting to hear this is all a big joke. (We're also expecting to hear the defense that MJ's skin was much, much lighter than it used to be by this point in his life, due to vitiligo and rumored procedures: A moot point. The man was biologically Black, and Hollywood is pretty good with makeup these days.)