Michael Jackson was some of the very first artists who understood the importance of high budget music videos. Just as his videos were shot like films, he never frowned to hire expensive models. Some of the actresses, who worked with him were very famous while some of them being newcomers. He selected them as per their talents, nothing else.
In this article, we have made an effort to discover some of these artists more personally. Afterall they played a key role in the world-famous music videos of Michael Jackson.
1. Ola Ray
Ola Ray, known for her appearance in “Thriller” music video, is a professional model, dancer, and actress. John Landis selected her from an audition because “First of all, she was crazy for Michael. She had such a great smile.” Later Ola said, “Michael is very special, not like any other guy I’ve met. Since we’ve been working together we’ve been getting closer. He was a very shy person, but he’s opened up.” Read More.
Before “Thriller”, she was a successful model and also worked as the Playmate of the month Playboy. Ola has acted in several films and television shows. Her last film was in 2015 named “Toy Soldier”. She opened up about her life in her book, you can take a look at this interview taken in 2019 to know more. As per Ola’s Instagram account, she is writing on another upcoming book.
2. Tatiana Thumbtzen
Tatiana Thumbtzen is a fairly known name in the MJ universe for her controversial actions. She appeared opposite Michael in “The Way You Make Me Feel” music video. Then the duo went to the “Bad” tour. There Tatiana kissed MJ on stage and it was a massacre. Later, she was allegedly fired from the team and went ahead with writing a book about her experience with Michael Jackson.
MJ’s mother Katherine invited her to his funeral, which she attended on September 3, 2009. Starting her career with Ballet dancing, she gained herself some reputation by modeling and dancing. Tatiana last updated her Facebook account in 2016, it seems that she is a talented painter as well.
3. Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell is a supermodel now in her fifties. Besides being one of the most famous models of all time, she also did a music video with Michael Jackson. Any guesses? Yeap, it was “In the Closet”. The music video directed by Herb Ritts was a bit different than MJ’s other videos, but Naomi’s presence made it divine. She currently hosts a YouTube channel of her, there she talked more about her experience with Michael Jackson.
4. Kelley Parker
Kelly Parker was a child artist when she worked with Michael in “Moonwalker”. Their relationship had always been very special, both of them were friends for more than 10 years. Parker said in an interview, “He is intertwined in all of who I am, I became a dancer because of him, I became an artist because he inspired me to dream, and a writer because he taught me the power of moving people through words and actions.” She has appeared in films like “Dancing & Charm School” and “Tangled”. As per her social media, she is spending time with her family and traveling and it seems she is still connected with the film and music industry somehow.
5. Cindera Che
Cindera Che was a dancer in the famous “Smooth Criminal” video where she played the character of Madame. She was selected from around 900 candidates as per rumors. As a professional dancer, it was her biggest success being part of the MJ crew. Cindera became a choreographer and gives online dance classes, her social media filled with information on how one can connect with her regarding the same.
6. Janet Jackson
Janet and Michael collaborated in the “Scream” music video. Working with brother Mike, Janet gave one of her best performances. She secured herself a place in the pop industry and even on some occasions competed with her brother. In 2019, she was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for lifelong works. Janet is also named as the second most successful danceclub artist after Madonna. She still very active in the music industry and raising a child of her own.
7. Kishaya Dudley
Kishaya Dudley is the model who worked with Michael Jackson in the video of “You Rock My World”. Directed by Paul Hunter, the video from the album “Invincible” was a true killer. After the video, Kishaya worked in some films but more info isn’t available in the public domain about her. Seems like she has a Twitter account but that either not much active.
8. Sofia Boutella
Sofia Boutella is a really popular name in Hollywood for her works in “The Mummy”, “Atomic Blonde”, “Kingsman: The Secret Service”, and many more films. But you may not know that she is the dancer of “Hollywood Tonight” released in 2011. Although MJ wasn’t there for the music video, his presence is there. Interestingly, Sofia was selected for “This Is It” with Jackson but couldn’t make it to the rehearsals. She is undoubtedly a popular movie star today with multiple upcoming movies. She was last seen at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party 2024.
9. Iman
Iman Abdulmajid is a Somali model and fashion designer. She played the role- wife of Pharaoh in the music video “Remember the Time”. Directed by John Singleton, Michael put on a show on the palace of the Pharaoh for the Queen’s enjoyment. Iman has worked with designers like Gianni Versaci, Clavin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent. In 2019 she recreated a portion of the video on her Twitter. Her modeling career is still active as many sources confirm that she participates in some photoshoots.
10. Sybil Azur (Susie)
Sybil Azur was the model in the music video of “Blood on the Dance Floor”. Playing the character of Susie, she did a pretty good job. Sybil is professionally an actress and director and worked in films like “La La Land”, and “500 Days of Summer”. From the last report, she is actively participating in many human rights causes such as Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. Her Facebook account.