Urban Myths trailer: First look at Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson after controversial casting

The first trailer for Urban Myths, showing Joseph Fiennes in character as Michael Jackson, has been released following controversy over his casting.

Wearing a black wig and facial prosthetics, the British actor stars opposite Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor and Brian Cox as Marlon Brando in the newly-released teaser for the Sky Arts programme.

The story follows a rumoured road trip that the trio took to the West Coast following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Billed as a collection of ‘true…ish stories’, the light-hearted show appears to focus on a collection of infamous celebrity tales.

Iwan Rheon stars as Adolf Hitler in one clip, joined by Rupert Grint who plays ‘Hitler’s friend’, in a story about the dictator’s love of painting.

Ben Chaplin and Aidan Gillen also co-star in one story, playing Cary Grant and Dr Timothy Leary in a story which appears to be about LSD.

Fiennes and the programme-makers attracted controversy last year when it emerged that the Caucasian British actor would be playing the pop icon.

Jackson fans were quick to react on Twitter, with one person wrote: “So about Joseph Fiennes playing MJ .... Is Lupita playing Elyzabeth Taylor ?#cantwait.”

Another added: “#CharlieHunnam playing Edgar Valdez & Joseph Fiennes playing Michael Jackson, I feel now is the time to reboot Harry Potter starring Denzel.”

Fiennes later admitted that he was surprised by the casting himself, telling Entertainment Weekly:

“I'm a white, middle-class guy from London. I’m as shocked as you.”