EXCLUSIVE: Playboy Cover Girl and Actress Who Played Michael Jackson’s Girlfriend in Iconic Thriller Music Video to Sue Singer’s Estate for Royalties Following a New 3D Version of the Cult Classic

Former Playboy model Ola Ray, now 57, is probably best known for playing Michael Jackson’s love interest in his 1983 “Thriller” music video. John Landis, the original director, recently premiered a 3D version of the video at the Venice Film Festival. Ray, surprisingly not invited to the event, is now suing Jackson’s estate claiming that she should be compensated for her role in the film. She has already been successful in a prior suit concerning back royalties and has made claims that Jackson promised her 2.5% in royalties for her role in “Thriller”.

Ray’s attorney, Scott Cole, who is also deeply troubled by Ray’s lack of invitation to the exclusive film festival, expressed his genuine shock and outrage: “It’s shameful Ms. Ray wasn’t invited and welcomed with open arms at the Venice festival. Ms. Ray had a central role in this iconic production. Shutting her out of her full royalties all these years hardly honors the memory of Michael or the spirit of the relevant contracts.”

See Shanti Das, EXCLUSIVE: Playboy Cover Girl and Actress Who Played Michael Jackson’s Girlfriend in Iconic Thriller Music Video to Sue Singer’s Estate for Royalties Following a New 3D Version of the Cult Classic, DailyMail.com, September 6, 2017.