'It's a light comedy look. It's not in any way malicious,' Fiennes told ET last year, in defense of the project.
Joseph Fiennes' controversial debut as Michael Jackson is officially here.
The 46-year-old actor joins Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor and Brian Cox as Marlon Brando in a half-hour episode of Urban Myths, an eight-part series focusing on rumored celebrity experiences. In "Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon," Fiennes portrays Jackson in a retelling of the time the three stars embarked on a road trip after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
WATCH: Michael Jackson Once Told Oprah Winfrey He Didn't Want a White Actor to Portray Him on Screen
Fiennes' casting in the role understandably made headlines when it was announced last year, after outlets and individuals alike criticized the decision to cast a white man, Fiennes, as the African-American pop icon.
See the trailer (which also features other scenes from Urban Myths, including Iwan Rheon as Adolf Hitler, Rupert Grint as "Hitler's friend," Ben Chaplin as Cary Grant, Aidan Gillen as Dr. Timothy Leary, Eddie Marsan as Bob Dylan, and David Threlfall as Samuel Beckett) below.
ET sat down with Fiennes last January, where he revealed that he was "shocked" to be cast in the role.
"I'm a white, middle-class guy from London," he exclusively told ET of playing the late music icon. "I'm as shocked as you may be."
"[Jackson] definitely had an issue -- a pigmentation issue -- and that's something I do believe," the Shakespeare in Love star explained. "He was probably closer to my color than his original color."
"It's a light comedy look. It's not in any way malicious," he added in defense of the project. "It's actually endearing."
Urban Myths begins airing Jan. 19 on Sky Arts.
WATCH: Michael Jackson Told Oprah He Didn't Want a White Actor to Play Him -- 'That Is So Stupid'