Somewhere between outrage, bewilderment, and comedy
falls the news that a U.K. production company has cast
very very very white actor Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson in
Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a short film about a
rumored post-9/11 road trip involving Liz Taylor, Michael
Jackson, and Marlon Brando.
There has been much criticism of this particular casting
decision, especially against the backdrop of the #OscarsSoWhite
campaign. But what about any black actors who believe the casting
of a white actor is discriminatory? Turns out they probably
don't have a case.
A few years ago, black applicants for ABC's The
Bachelor sued the network and the show for race discrimination. They alleged the show
overwhelmingly preferred white contestants over blacks. A federal
district court dismissed their action and made some
interesting points. The court pointed out that the plaintiffs'
theory would call into question how certain networks target an
audience (Ovation,
