Who is Dan Reed? Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland director
The British documentary maker has been subject to vicious hate mail since the release of his film Leaving Neverland
DAN Reed is the man behind one of the most controversial and talked-about documentaries to date, Leaving Neverland.
The film has shocked and angered millions of viewers, but who is he? Here's what we know.
Who is Dan Reed?
British Director Dan Reed is 54 years old and it has not been made public where in the UK he was born.
Dan has scooped nine BAFTA wins and nominations, a Peabody Award, two Emmy Nominations and many more.
He has worked as a producer and director for documentaries for Channel 4, BBC, HBO and PBS.
The award winning director has focused on sexual abuse as a theme in the past. He was responsible for acclaimed documentary The Paedophile Hunter.
He told that prior to making the film he didn't have any knowledge or interest in Michael Jackson's story before he worked on Leaving Neverland.
He said: "The film was never about Michael Jackson and I don't really know that much about Michael Jackson,”
Talking about the Me Too movement and how he, James Safechuck and Wade Robson are in a "position to educate people about how this kind of grooming child sexual abuse really goes on."
He said: "If we can begin to tell that bigger story to the world, then it doesn't matter if it's Michael Jackson or the priest or the guy next door or the uncle or the beloved family friend that you trusted with your child.
"That is a really great, positive difference that we can make.”
After Leaving Neverland
The director revealed how the film has fired-up Jacko fans from around the world since it was first aired at Utah's Sundance Film Festival.
Jacko fans from as far afield as China, Taiwan and Singapore have subjected the 54-year-old to a torrent of “really horrible, vicious” abuse via email and social media.
But that has not stopped Reed in his quest to give alleged sexual abuse survivors a voice.
He said he would film a sequel, if accusers Jordan Chandler and Gavin Arvizo agreed to speak to him.
In a dramatic turnaround, Reed admitted that the dates given by one of Jacko's accusers are wrong.
Accuser James Safechuck claims he was abused from 1988 until 1992 and molested in a room within the Neverland station.
But on April 2, Jacko biographer Mike Smallcombe tweeted the station did not even have construction approval in 1993.
Admitting his mistake, Reed tweeted said: "Yeah there seems to be no doubt about the station date. The date they have wrong is the end of the abuse."
Smallcombe said it's "embarrassing" that the filmmaker can just "change the story" instead of "holding his hands up".
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The documentary sent waves of disgust through the viewing public and even lifelong fans took to social media to admit they were finally persuaded by Wade Robson, 36 and James Safechuck, 40, who both claimed they were sexually abused by the singer when they were kids.
Many of those who tuned in to watch said they were left feeling "literally sick" as the men made a string of gruesome claims about the late King of Pop.
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