US Edition
Leaving Neverland Director Slams Michael for Whitewashing Michael Jackson’s Alleged Abuse: ‘A False Narrative’
Reed said the biopic erases abuse claims and grossly distorts Jackson’s history, while HBO’s settlement kept Leaving Neverland off U.S. and Canadian platforms until 2029.
- Emmy-Winning filmmaker Dan Reed, who directed the documentary 'Leaving Neverland,' criticized the new Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' for promoting a "false narrative" that "just flips the truth on its head" by omitting child sexual abuse allegations.
- Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the production chronicles Jackson's rise from the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to hits like 'Thriller,' concluding in 1988 to present an 'intimate portrait' before later abuse allegations emerged.
- Reed argued the film distorts Jackson's relationship with children by portraying him as "an eccentric, overgrown child," while describing Jaafar Jackson's performance as "very wooden" due to insufficient script material.
- Actor Colman Domingo, who plays Joe Jackson, defended the biopic, explaining it "does not go into the first allegations" because it focuses on career origins, though hinting allegations could appear in a potential sequel.
- Despite ongoing controversy, the biopic grossed $219 million globally in its opening weekend, with fans packing theaters even as critics like Reed condemn the film for "whitewashing" Jackson's image.
14 Articles
14 Articles
'Leaving Neverland' director blasts Michael Jackson biopic for portraying singer as 'asexual plastic action doll'
'Leaving Neverland' filmmaker Dan Reed blasted the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' for portraying the 'Smooth Criminal' singer as an 'asexual plastic action doll': 'Zero insight into what makes Jackson tick.'
Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed saw Michael, says it "flips the truth on its head"
Over the last couple of weeks, Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed has been working to remind people that the myth of Michael Jackson is just that: A myth. Before it opened, Reed said that the people who were involved with the film were “making bank” by totally ignoring the child abuse allegations that followed Jackson in the last decades of his life. Now that the film has opened, Reed has seen it. It, obviously, didn’t change his mind about any…
Filmmaker Dan Reed shared his impressions after viewing the biopic that just arrived in cinemas
Filmmaker Dan Reed slams Michael for whitewashing MJ's alleged child abuse
Emmy-winning filmmaker Dan Reed has criticised Antoine Fuqua’s biopic, Michael, for presenting a sanitised account of Michael Jackson’s relationship with children. He slammed the film for not showing any of the alleged abuse of children.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
