Brett Barnes and Macaulay Culkin

The article argues that Brett Barnes and Macaulay Culkin’s brief inclusion in *Leaving Neverland* was misrepresented by Michael Jackson’s estate and apologists, who claimed it implied they were victims, when in fact the documentary explicitly noted their denials. The piece explains that when *Leaving Neverland* aired in 2019, Jackson’s defenders objected to the use of archival footage of Barnes and Culkin, despite both having consistently denied any abuse. The Jackson Estate even filed legal complaints, including a letter purportedly from Barnes’s lawyer, demanding his removal from the film. However, questions remain about whether this letter was orchestrated by the Estate itself, given the lawyer’s ties to Jackson. Barnes later addressed the issue in a 2022 podcast, but offered little clarity on the legal representation. The article stresses that their inclusion was not to portray them as victims but to illustrate Jackson’s pattern of replacing boys in his inner circle, which caused jealousy and emotional pain for Wade Robson and James Safechuck. Examples include Culkin being given the lead in the *Black or White* video over Robson, and Barnes accompanying Jackson on tour instead of Robson. The footage used was already public, and both Barnes and Culkin defended Jackson during his 2005 trial. The article concludes that criticisms of director Dan Reed for not contacting them are unfounded, since the documentary acknowledged their denials and contextualised their presence. It argues that omitting them would have led to accusations of selective storytelling, and ultimately, their inclusion highlights Jackson’s behaviour rather than suggesting victimhood.