Joseph Fiennes to Play Michael Jackson in TV Movie About MJ’s Mythical Roadtrip with Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor

This is not a joke. Joseph Fiennes is playing Michael Jackson in a TV movie for highbrow British cable channel Sky Arts. 

At this point we don't know what this tongue-in-cheek dramedy will be called. But we do know that it will tell the story of that time Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando, and Elizabeth Taylor rented a car and tried to drive from New York to California after 9/11. 

What's that? You never heard that story? 

Well, it's probably not true. It's more like an urban myth promulgated by a 2011 article in Vanity Fair. 

You see, Jackson was in New York the morning of 9/11 after doing shows at Madison Square Garden on September 7th and 10th. Obviously, because he was America's most-cherished cultural icon, MJ just had to get out of New York in case there were more attacks. However, all flights into and out of New York were cancelled indefinitely.

So what did the King of Pop do? According to the legend, he convinced his weirdo friends Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor, both of whom were in town to watch his show, to rent a car with him and drive back to California where they'd be safe from the evil-doers. 

The Sky Arts movie is about this alleged road trip. Brian Cox is playing Brando. Stockard Channing is playing Taylor. It's going to be amazing. 

[via The Guardian]