Actor Flex Alexander is finally setting the record straight about one of the most controversial TV movies in pop culture history — Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.
In a new interview with The Art of Dialogue, the actor dished on the behind-the-scenes chaos surrounding the 2004 VH1 biopic, from the makeup fiasco that became an online meme to Michael Jackson’s own anger over how the film portrayed him.
“I had sky-high hopes for this project,” Alexander admitted. “I thought we were creating something monumental. I nailed the ‘Man in the Mirror’ number and other iconic tracks. I was pumped.”
But those hopes came crashing down when producers failed to secure rights to Jackson’s actual music. “Then came the bombshell,” he recalled. “The suits told me we couldn’t clear the music rights. We ended up with generic beats. No shade to the producer, but it just didn’t have that MJ magic.”
The film quickly became infamous for its use of stark white airbrush makeup meant to show Jackson’s vitiligo — a look that many fans described as “ashy” or “unnatural.” Alexander revealed he was not allowed to bring his own makeup artist, saying that decision led to the disastrous results.
“They went to town with this airbrush gizmo,” he said. “I kept asking if we could smooth it out or darken it up a bit. They even tried to slap a fake nose on me — that was a hard pass.”
Every day on set began before dawn. “Man, they’d airbrush me every single day,” Alexander recalled. “I’d drag myself in at 4:35 AM for that torture. The wig was a disaster too. I can barely stomach watching it on YouTube now — it’s cringe-worthy.”
Despite the chaos, Alexander said Jackson’s real frustration wasn’t with the makeup — it was with how the film revisited painful allegations and tabloid controversies.
“MJ definitely had some choice words,” Alexander said. “He was ticked off, but not about my performance. What really got under his skin was them dredging up all that drama. He was like, ‘Why do we have to keep rehashing this stuff?’”
Alexander insisted that the script pulled heavily from court documents, making it more of a dramatized rehash than a tribute. “Their hearts might’ve been in the right place,” he added, “but the execution? Total misfire.”
Looking back, Flex admits the experience taught him a lot about Hollywood politics — and the importance of creative control. “I was just an actor trying to do right by the role,” he said. “But once you sign that contract, sometimes you’re stuck riding it out.”
