Fantasy Casting The Inevitable Michael Jackson Movie

It's absolutely inevitable. Only hours after the King of Pop's unexpected demise, Hollywood's major television networks were scrambling to fill their airwaves with Michael Jackson related programming. Tonight for instance, TV Land is dragging out the old made for TV movie The Jacksons: The American Dream. It's only a matter of time before the movie industry gets in on the act. The Michael Jackson biopic is coming, it's not a question of when, it’s only a question of how badly they'll screw it up.

Will they focus on his earlier life, his brilliance as a musician, his success in spite of an abusive father… while glossing over all the really weird stuff at the end? Whose version of the truth will Hollywood subscribe to? Michael's hazy fantasy of never-ending youth or the world we saw from the outside, of inappropriate behavior and spiraling excess? Or perhaps most importantly, who will they cast to play him?

Before Tinsel Town botches it, we're stepping in preemptively to give them a little friendly advice. If you have to make a Michael Jackson movie Hollywood, then consider these casting choices before you do it.


Free Willy & Final Years Michael
Casting late-life Michael Jackson is all at once easy and complex. There's no shortage of talented, high-profile, proven, age-appropriate African American actors who might be willing to take on the role (assuming you want to cast a black actor that is). Some of them can even sing and dance. A few like Chris Tucker have, in fact, actually built their entire life around doing some sort of Thriller-era Michael Jackson impersonation but sorry Chris, we can do better. Whoever lands it will have to be able to play Free Willy Michael right on through creepy guy who engages in inappropriate contact with minors on national television Michael.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Eddie Murphy
It has to be Eddie Murphy, doesn't it? Sure they'll have to slather him in freakish prosthetics but if Robert Downey Jr. can get away with blackface then Eddie can certainly pull off whiteface. He has the right build (or close enough), he can sing (sort of), he can dance (or at least simulate it), and by the time they start casting this thing he'll be ready for another one of his twice a decade dips into serious movie making. Eddie will smell Oscar and lobby for this part hard knowing that his usual competition, the likes of Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith lack either the physical build or the musical chops to pull of the part. Plus Eddie's no stranger to prosthetics. If he wants to play MJ, he'll land it. It just makes sense.

BETTER CHOICE: Crispin Glover
Sure he's white but so was Michael, sort of, by the end. Nobody captures freakish insanity better than Crispin and in the last decade, in the public eye at least, that seemed to be all that was left of the man. Jackson's journey is almost Howard Hughes' like in nature and there's nobody better than Crispin for walking around with Kleenex boxes for shoes. Would he do it? Probably not, he's more interested in bizarre filmmaking projects that no one wants to see, and of course there's no way Hollywood hires anyone who's not a big name, bankable star for this part. Still, if you've seen Willard or even paid attention to the few moments he shows up on screen in the Charlie's Angels movies, then you know there's no one more perfect than Crispin Glover to portray Michael Jackson at his lowest of lows. Insanity is Crispin's reality.



Thriller Michael
This is the tough one. The temptation here will be to cast someone who can play both Thriller era Michael and late-life, crazy Michael. Yet they're such completely different people, it's hard to imagine that working. Sure you could digitally de-age Eddie Murphy and dress him up like Captain EO and yeah, maybe you can spray paint Crispin Glover and teach him to moonwalk, but I say you're better off going with someone else entirely and I feel certain (for no particular reason) that Hollywood will agree with me.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Damon Wayans Jr.
You've probably got a bad feeling about this. Me too. Damon Wayans Jr. is the son of Damon Wayans Classic and he's already started climbing the Hollywood ladder as the one of the leads in the early year parody flop Dance Flick. He's a comic, which means he probably already has an MJ impersonation (don't all comedians?), he's a martial artist, snowboarder, and apparently he can dance. He's one of a dozen names which could easily end up with the role (and if Denzel Washington is somehow involved in producing then get ready for Derek Luke) but to me, he seems like exactly the kind of talent sleazy Hollywood producers might go for.

BETTER CHOICE: Andre 3000
Sure he's getting a little long in the tooth, but shave off his beard and Andre will instantly lose a few years. He's got the build, he's got the moves, and even though he's yet to really prove it I've long had this sneaking suspicion that Andre could, if he really put his mind to it, actually act. Look it was either Andre 3000 or My Name is Earl's Crabman. Andre is the right decision.



Little Jackson 5 Michael
This is the easiest Michael to cast. Throw a net over Los Angeles, scoop it up, and then pick out the cutest black kids at your leisure. If they can sing that's a bonus, but you're probably better off casting for cute factor and then hiring a eunuch to do voice over. Or better yet, just play MJ's old tracks. It's not like you're going to find someone who can sing “ABC” better.

LIKELY TO GET THE PART: Jaden Smith
He's Hollywood's official cute kid poster boy and even though he doesn't exactly look the part, at least he’s already halfway to the hair. Plus his dad's Will Smith who, if you play your cards right might sign on as a producer or, whatever it is he does whenever Jaden's got a new project.



BETTER CHOICE: Bobbe J. Thompson
I really have no good excuse for casting the foul mouthed, trash-talking kid from Role Models in this movie, or in any movie. I'm pretty sure he can't sing and he definitely looks nothing like Michael. I wouldn't however bet against him having awesome dance moves but mostly I'm casting him for my own amusement and because he's probably not going to take any of that shit from his Dad. Let's rewrite history a bit. Have Michael kick Joe Jackson in the nads. That asshole has it coming for what he did to him.

10th Annual Hollywood Black Film Festival Announces Jury and Audience Choice Award Winners

With 102 films and 6 days of deliberation, jury and audience choice award-winners were announced Sunday for the 2009 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF). Actress Vanessa Bell Calloway announced the winning films during the festivals invitation-only Filmmaker and Storyteller Awards brunch, held at Life on Wilshire.

"We are so pleased to be able to present awards to these filmmakers who have displayed an amazing array of cinematic talent and vision," said Tanya Kersey, Founder & Executive Director, HBFF. "The 2009 Hollywood Black Film Festival award-winners reflect the full breadth of talent, diversity, and evolution of independent black film."

"Our filmmakers this year displayed an extraordinary range and depth to their storytelling, and I am pleased to know that HBFF continues to garner a well deserved reputation as being the premiere festival for discovering and showcasing the next generation of talented Black filmmakers," added Kersey. "We are thrilled at how the Hollywood Black Film Festival has continued to grow in attendance, local and national awareness and acclaim from filmmakers, writers and directors."

The winners receive prizes courtesy of Kodak, Writers Boot Camp, Entertainment Partners, Final Draft, Baseline Studio Systems & Film Tracker, Showbiz Software and Urban Network. In addition to product prizes and in keeping with the festival’s motto: “ACCESS. OPPORTUNITIES. DEALS.” The winners also receive a series of meetings with agents, managers, development, acquisition and distribution executives. Over 44 meetings have been scheduled for the filmmaker and storyteller winners.

Director Lucky Ejim’s feature film THE TENANT took the top audience prize at the 10th Annual Hollywood Black Film Festival. Sponsored by Indieflix the Audience Choice Award winner took home a cash prize in addition to prizes from Entertainment Partners, Baseline StudioSystems and Showbiz Software. In the film, Obinna, an African refugee, faces imminent deportation from Canada. His landlord, a dying retired immigration officer offers to stop the deportation if he convinces his estranged daughter to reconcile with him. In 30 days he has to turn the wheels of hate to one of love.

In the narrative feature film category, BLUE, directed by Ryan Miningham took top honors. BLUE tells the story of a prize fighter who struggles to put his dark past behind him as love seems to altar his course and makes him face his redemption while preparing for the fight of his life.

The Short Film winner was (MIS)LEADING MAN written and directed by Morocco Omari. (Mis) Leading Man is an exploration of what happens to a common man caught inside of the media fishbowl as a result of getting everything that he could ever dream of. Keith Holland seemingly has everything. He’s a coveted A-list actor with all of the rights and privileges that accompany that position, but realizes that it comes hand in hand with a price that he didn’t factor in. Nothing can prepare him for the fine print that comes with celebrity, or the duality of the media.

Llewellyn Smith’s documentary HERSKOVITS AT THE HEART OF BLACKNESS earned first place honors in the documentary category. HERSKOVITS is story about 20th century anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits, who 're-defined' black history, making it possible for a people formerly despised as “Negroes” to pride themselves as African-Americans. Herskovits himself was a white American of Jewish ancestry but he acquired the power to re-make the historical understanding of black people, and in the process engaged in conflicts with black scholars and elite institutions of the day. Rarely seen archival footage, provocative animation, photo re-enactments and scholars' commentary propel the story.

In the student film category, the award was presented to THE SECOND HALF written by Andrew Chang and directed by Ralph Jeffrey Elmont. In the film, Delroy, a night janitor in a high school, meets and mentors Harlan, one of the school's basketball stars, and is forced to confront his own past to save Harlan's future.

1 OUT OF 10, directed by Q, won in the music video category.

The 1st place winner in the HBFF Storyteller Competition was GOOD MOTHER written by Cassie Henderson of Tallahassee, FL. In GOOD MOTHER, a single mother diagnosed with breast cancer decides to commit a crime so that she can get healthcare in prison. BORN TO PITCH written by Robyn Hatcher of New York City took 2nd place honors. BORN TO PITCH is about Mamie “Peanut” Johnson who became the first woman to ever pitch major league baseball. A member of the Negro League’s Indianapolis Clowns, this film follows Mamie’s first season on the road with the Clowns where she realizes her life long dream to play professional baseball but faces losing her marriage, her child and her dignity. 3rd place went to FAR AWAY FROM HERE written by Dapo Adeshiyan of Piscataway, NJ . In FAR AWAY FROM HERE, when the soul-singing girlfriend of a rising star lawyer becomes an overnight sensation, their ten-year relationship is put to the test as her fame continues to rise, and his career begins to falter.

The HBFF Storyteller Competition was designed to promote and support new talent and continue the festival’s pledge of creating opportunities for talented black screenwriters. As the main goal is to give new screenwriters industry exposure and help introduce them to Hollywood, in addition to the prize packages, the three finalists will have their scripts distributed to a number of studios and production company executives.

“The diverse storytelling styles of this year’s Storyteller Competition semi-finalists is impressive,” said Alexia Ryan, HBFF Storyteller Director. “We are pleased to be able to bring these talented, diverse voices to the attention of Hollywood’s leading talent buyers.”

Festival attendees enjoyed a whirlwind of six days hustling to see films, attending panels and workshops at the adjunct Infotainment Conference, and partying into the wee hours of the night. HBFF 2009 ran June 3-8 in Beverly Hills, CA.