Colman Domingo, who stars in the new Michael Jackson biopic, has defended the film against accusations that it 'whitewashes' the singer's legacy by omitting child abuse allegations. The film, which arrives in cinemas this weekend, originally included scenes addressing the 1993 allegations made by 13-year-old Jordan Chandler, but these were cut after lawyers determined they breached a settlement agreement.
Speaking on US talkshow Today, Domingo explained that the film covers Jackson's life from the 1960s to 1988, ending before the first allegations emerged in 2005. 'We centre it on the makings of Michael,' he said. 'It's an intimate portrait of who Michael is... through his eyes.' He added that a potential sequel could address later events.
The biopic has faced criticism from Jackson's daughter Paris, who denied being involved in the production. In social media posts, she stated she read an early draft and gave notes about inaccuracies, but when those were ignored, she 'moved on'. She described the narrative as containing 'full-blown lies'.
Critics have panned the film, with The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey awarding it one star and calling it a 'ghoulish, soulless cash grab'. Domingo has done limited promotion for the movie, and when hosting Saturday Night Live last week, he made little mention of it.
