Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte Everett

Thriller video star Ola Ray looks incredible 40 years after Michael Jackson cameo

Thriller video star Ola Ray looks completely different 40 years after starring alongside Michael Jackson.

The 61-year-old took part in the iconic Thriller music video as Michael's girlfriend back in 1982 which saw her shoot to fame.

Despite still looking as youthful as ever, Ola has swapped her dark hair for a platinum blonde look.

She took to her Instagram to mark the milestone anniversary of the 1982 album, writing: "Hello World, Happy 40th Anniversary of the Thriller Album. Check out my book for some amazing stories of us in the Thriller Video."

The former Playboy star has opened up in the past about what it was like to star in the famous music video.

Ola now has blonde hair (olamarieray/Instagram)

In an interview with the DailyMail in 2019, Ola said how she turned up on set high on marijuana and shared a passionate kiss with the King of Pop.

She said: "Michael and I did get intimate on Thriller, yes. I went to his trailer one day and that's where I had my second kiss with him.

"I kissed him for the first time on the set, I kissed him on the cheek, then he asked me to come into his dressing room one day and I went in there and we sat down and had a conversation and we got really close and that's when he kissed me the second time.

"It was a very passionate kiss and, you know, we also did a little something else, but that's all I'm gonna say."

The music video came out 40 years ago (Sunday Mirror)

Ola made sure not to reveal the full extent of what happened for them as she said she wanted to leave some details for her book.

Ola was only in her early 20s when she beat hundreds of other people to play Michael Jackson's girlfriend in Thriller, which was directed by John Landis.

The 14-minute short went on to help Jackson's Thriller album top the US chart for 37 weeks.

It managed to sell a reported 120 million copies which made it the best-selling record of all time.

Despite talking highly about her time filming the music video, Ola said that the fame led to her life spiraling out of control.

She has been open about struggling with a cocaine addiction and depression, attempted to take her own life, and turned her back on the entertainment industry.

35 years on from Thriller Ola admitted she is still battling the Jackson estate for millions of dollars in unpaid royalties.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.