‘Bruno’ Michael Jackson Scene Cut

The death of The King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, on Thursday, June 25 was a shocking event which captured the world’s attention and caused widespread grief the likes of which I haven’t witnessed since Princess Diana died in 1997. And it’s now also had an effect on a Hollywood movie.

MTV Movies is reporting how a scene has had to be cut from Bruno in light of Michael Jackson dying after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest. The scene saw the gay Austrian character of Bruno talking to Michael’s sister La Toya Jackson. He is seen asking La Toya for comments on her brother before trying to extract Michael’s number from her cellphone.

Universal issued a short and not partcularly sweet statement on the last-minute revision, saying:

“Out of respect for the Jackson family, the filmmakers have decided to remove a small scene involving La Toya Jackson.”

And the revision was truly made at the last-minute; Bruno made its premiere at Mann’s Chinese Theater in L.A. the same night that Michael Jackson died. I would assume this same cut is being made to all of the copies being sent out to movie theaters around the world ahead of the film going on general release in July.

This is, of course, the right thing to do. Not only would a reference of this kind to Michael Jackson have been in very poor taste but it would have also meant the movie was outdated before it was even released. However, I expect the scene will be put back in for the DVD and Blu-ray release, by which time the dust will surely have settled on Michael Jackson’s passing.