There is NOTHING more unintentionally hilarious than watching old movies - even some of the great ones - and seeing white actors portraying black characters, or American Indians or Indians etc -- though these were usually minor roles and extras etc.
The exceptions which spring to mind are Marlon Brando in 'Teahouse of The August Moon' where he played a Japanese character, Mickey Rooney, who did the same in 'Blekfast at Tiffanies'
, and Jeffrey Hunter playing Christ in 'King of Kings'. There are probably hundreds more but I can't be bothered googling.
Anyway, the point is, that it is ludicrous, and though they may be excuses with some really old films when 'ethnic' actors were 'thin on the ground, it seems that we have learnt NOTHING.
Fiennes is a fine actor, but the whole MJ idea is preposterous and I believe that it is doomed to be tomorrow's 'Mr. Yunioshi' - the Japanese character Rooney portrayed in Breakfast At Tiffanies' -- embarrassing and laughable.
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"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts". Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927-2003)
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