Spike Lee: Jacko biopic impossible

Spike Lee has said he could never make a biopic about Michael Jackson because there isn't an actor who could play him.

The director premiered his documentary film Bad 25, about the making of the 1987 hit album Bad, in the UK at the weekend and revealed despite being a huge fan of the late singer, he couldn't make a film about his life.

Spike said: "For me - who would play him? I can't do it, maybe someone else will, but for me I can't do it.

"It's easier to do a biopic of someone who's not so recognisable. Michael Jackson is one of the most recognisable people on this planet and who is going to play him?! I can't do it."

The Inside Man director - who worked with Michael on the music video for They Don't Care About Us - was delighted to have full access to the Michael Jackson archive for the new documentary.

He said: "There's stuff there the world has never seen. And a lot of that stuff Michael shot himself. So whenever I was in the edit room and I was seeing stuff for the first time it was amazing, because we didn't know this stuff existed."

Spike also revealed that when Michael Jackson rang him up to ask him to direct a music video for him, he hung up on him twice because he didn't believe it was him.

He said: "Third time he said 'Spike don't hang up the phone! It's me!'."

:: The Bad 25 deluxe album package is available from September 17.