Latest / Fresh Intelligence / 'Michael' Movie Legal Nightmare: Actress Who Plays Diana Ross in King of Pop's Biopic Reveals Her Scenes Were Cut to Avoid Lawsuit - As Film Is Trashed by Critics Over 'Lies'
Transcript
- 0:05[SPEAKER_01]: Why scroll your feed?
- 0:06[SPEAKER_01]: When you can get the latest Aleb news with your eyes closed?
- 0:11[SPEAKER_01]: Here's fresh intelligence first to start your day.
- 0:18[SPEAKER_00]: Highly anticipated Michael Jackson Film faces controversy just one day before its April 24 release.
- 0:24[SPEAKER_00]: As actress Kat Graham revealed her portrayal of Diana Ross was completely cut from the film due to legal concerns, according to RadarOnline.com.
- 0:32[SPEAKER_00]: Graham stated on social media that certain legal considerations affected a few scenes, confirming her performance did not make the final cut.
- 0:40[SPEAKER_00]: While she did not specify the legal issues, industry sources suggest that last-minute edits are often made to avoid potential legal exposure when depicting living icons, particularly those, like Ross, with significant legacies.
- 0:52[SPEAKER_00]: This development raises questions about the extent of changes made to the original film, especially considering Ross's influential connection to Jackson.
- 1:00[SPEAKER_00]: The Motown legend helped launch the Jackson 5 into mainstream fame, making her absence from the biopic noticeable.
- 1:06[SPEAKER_00]: Variety reports that this decision relates to broader legal complications that necessitated significant rewrites and reshoots during production.
- 1:14[SPEAKER_00]: Filmmakers faced strict limitations tied to Jackson's past legal issues, which shaped the film's content, leading to multiple scenes being entirely scrapped, including grams.
- 1:23[SPEAKER_00]: As critics have begun lambasting the film ahead of its release, early reactions claim it glosses over critical aspects of Jackson's life.
- 1:31[SPEAKER_00]: Some have even labeled the project misleading, suggesting it prioritizes image control over authenticity.
- 1:36[SPEAKER_00]: This backlash is echoed by Paris Jackson, the late singer's daughter, who is distanced herself from the biopic.
- 1:42[SPEAKER_00]: She previously criticized an early version as sugarcoded, asserting that the narrative is being controlled, and there's a lot of an accuracy, and there's a lot of just full blown lies.
- 1:51[SPEAKER_00]: Additionally, Janet Jackson declined to participate in the film.
- 1:55[SPEAKER_00]: Fuelling speculation about family tensions surrounding its portrayal of their story.
- 2:00[SPEAKER_00]: As the film is set to premiere, Graham's revelation adds to the speculation about what else may have been omitted from the final edit.
- 2:06[SPEAKER_01]: Representatives for the Michael film, Graham and Ross did not respond to requests for comment.