Inside Ola Ray’s Real-Life Chemistry With Michael Jackson—40+ Years After ‘Thriller’
From Playboy to MTV—the 65-year-old has shared how the King of Pop changed her life
In the early days of MTV, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” elevated the then-new format of the music video to blockbuster status, and over 40 years after it debuted, it remains one of the most iconic and influential videos of all time. The high-concept 1983 video, helmed by An American Werewolf in London director John Landis, drew inspiration from ’50s horror movies and featured the indelible image of Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies, leading it to become a spooky season favorite.
The 14-minute-long video also featured the voice of horror legend Vincent Price as the narrator and model and actress Ola Ray as Jackson’s girlfriend. “Thriller” made Ray into a recognizable figure, and her character played a more prominent role than the typical video vixens of the era (she and Jackson even had dialogue!)
With Halloween on the horizon, we’re taking a look back at how Ola Ray became the “Thriller” girl and what she’s been up to since costarring in the classic music video.
From Playboy centerfold to MTV it girl
Ola Ray got her start as a model and was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in June 1980. She made her music video debut in George Benson’s “Give Me the Night” that year, modeled in a number of ad campaigns and had bit parts in the films Body and Soul (1981), Night Shift (1982) and 48 Hrs. (1982) before she was cast in “Thriller.”
Originally, Landis and Jackson wanted Flashdance star Jennifer Beals to play the singer’s girlfriend, but she turned down the role. After auditioning many women, Ray was chosen due to her undeniable chemistry with Jackson. The singer didn’t realize that she had been a Playmate, and this reveal initially gave him pause, but Landis convinced him that it didn’t matter and she’d be perfect for the part.
Inside her real-life chemistry with the King of Pop
Ray and Jackson’s onscreen attraction was real, and in an archival behind-the-scenes feature republished as part of a retrospective piece in Vanity Fair in 2010, the actress said, “Michael is very special, not like any other guy I’ve met.” In an extremely ’80s turn of events, Ray had her makeup for the video done at a studio where Jane Fonda was filming one of her workout videos, and she asked the star for advice about how to win Jackson’s heart.
While Ray and Jackson didn’t have a lasting relationship, she told Vanity Fair, “I had some intimate moments with him in his trailer,” and expressed regret that their time together didn’t evolve into something more. Looking back on the video, she poignantly recalled, “That walk with Michael, when he was dancing around me and singing, I felt like I was the most, I don’t know, blessed girl in the world. Being able to do that and being able to play with Michael, and having him play around me. I felt so in love that night. You can see it in my eyes. You can see it for sure.”
The royalties battle that made headlines
After “Thriller,” Ray appeared in episodes of Gimme a Break! (1984), Cheers (1985) and What’s Happening Now! (1985) and had small roles in the movies Fear City (1984), The Night Stalker (1986) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
For years after “Thriller,” Ray spoke about how she never received royalties for her work, and in May 2009, she sued Jackson in an attempt to collect the money she was owed, but things became even more complicated when the singer shockingly died a month later at just 50 years old. In 2013, the dispute was finally settled, and she received $75,000.
Ola Ray wasn’t the only one to allege financial mismanagement on the video, as John Landis also filed a lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s estate, while Vincent Price infamously chose a one-time paycheck of $20,000 for his work on the video instead of getting a cut of the royalties—a decision that caused him to lose out on untold millions.
Where Ola Ray is now—her life and career at 65
Ray faced struggles in her personal and professional life, as she was subject to Hollywood sexism and battled addiction, leading to her being arrested on drug possession charges in 1992. Following this rough patch, she stepped away from the industry, and when her daughter was born in 1995, she became a stay-at-home mom. In recent years, according to Ray’s website, she’s written and produced songs and has been trying her hand at screenwriting.
Ray returned to the screen in 2019, with roles in the films It Wants Blood! and Shooting Heroin. In 2022, she published her memoir, The Thrill of It All. She’s also celebrated her “Thriller” role at a variety of conventions and has advocated for survivors of domestic violence and drug addiction.
Long after “Thriller,” Ola Ray remains proud of her pop cultural contribution, and she told Vanity Fair, “I can’t walk down the street without people recognizing me.” Now 65, she shared her ambitions in an online interview this year, saying, “I would say that my aspirations have changed since I began working in the industry. I look at life differently now and want to produce and direct from behind the scenes. I want more control over my destiny. I’ve worked alongside some of the best entertainers in the world, such as Eddie Murphy, Ron Howard, and many others. I’d like to think they all played a part in shaping who I have become and inspired me to grow into the person I am today. However, being with Michael was definitely the highlight of my life.”
Ray will forever be one of the women who defined the ’80s, and it’s safe to say that no music video before or since has ever had a cultural impact at the level of “Thriller.”
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
