Story highlights Fiennes will appear as Jackson in a half-hour comedy

The drama is based on a fabled road trip

(CNN) With all the controversy over #OscarsSoWhite, now may not have been the best time to announce that a white actor has been cast as African-American pop star Michael Jackson.

According to The Guardian , Joseph Fiennes will play the late superstar in a comedy to appear on the British channel Sky Arts. The half-hour show, called "Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon," centers around a fabled road trip in which Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando tried to get home to Los Angeles from New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

For some, the casting decision has been just as unbelievable as the idea that Jackson, Taylor and Brando (who supposedly insisted on frequent stops at fast food restaurants) would just hop in a car and take off cross-country.

As the debate rages on about the lack of quality roles for actors of color and thus the lack of representation at awards shows, one person tweeted, "Joseph Fiennes can play Michael Jackson. (A real person). But Idris can't play James Bond (a fake spy for a fake agency)?"

Joseph Fiennes can play Michael Jackson. (A real person). But Idris can't play James Bond (a fake spy for a fake agency)? Cool, cool, cool. — Prentice Penny (@The_A_Prentice) January 27, 2016

Too crazy for words! #JosephFiennes playing Michael Jackson! What next? Tom Cruise playing Muhammad Ali? Uma Thurman playing Rosa Parks? — Duncan Whitehead (@DuncanWhitehead) January 27, 2016

I'm TOTALLY on board with Joseph Fiennes playing Michael Jackson IF AND ONLY IF Angela Bassett is cast as Elizabeth Taylor — Orlando Jones (@TheOrlandoJones) January 27, 2016

Oddly enough, it won't be the first time I'll see Joseph Fiennes portray a man of color. I saw him 20 years ago as Jesus in a London play. — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) January 26, 2016

Like... this is so ridiculous that it's ALMOST funny. White people are now trolling us. Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson, dude. — Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) January 26, 2016

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