When Ola Ray stepped onto the set of Thriller in 1983, she had no idea her life was about to change forever.
The former model and actress thought she was filming just another music video, not a cultural landmark that would redefine pop, MTV, and the music industry itself.
For two weeks, Ray filmed alongside Michael Jackson, then already one of the biggest stars on the planet. In a recent interview with @mjfangirl, an LA-based Michael Jackson historian and creator, Ray vividly recalled those nights on set — the laughter, the nerves, and the undeniable chemistry between her and the King of Pop.
“He had me sit right in front of them, and I watched them do that dance all night long,” Ray said. “It was so exciting. I had a front-row seat to watching him in perfection.”
That perfection — the moonlit choreography, the red jacket, the zombie line-dance that became an indelible part of pop culture — was something few people witnessed up close. Ray was one of them.
The Chemistry Everyone Could See
The romantic spark between Michael and Ola wasn’t just good acting — it was real.
“It was definitely real,” she said. “We were staring into each other’s eyes, laughing, flirting. He’d whisper in my ear. What you see on camera was exactly how we felt.”
Behind the cameras, though, the hysteria surrounding Jackson was reaching dizzying heights. During one downtown shoot, word spread that he was filming nearby — and chaos ensued.
“Fans were jumping on rooftops just to get a glimpse,” Ray remembered. “Michael pushed me out there and everyone got quiet. He laughed and said, ‘Ola, don’t worry — pretty soon, everyone’s going to know who Ola Ray is.’”
He wasn’t wrong.
From Playboy to Pop Immortality
Before Thriller, Ray had already made a name for herself in modeling — most notably as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in June 1980 — and appeared in films like 48 Hrs. and Night Shift. But Thriller launched her into another stratosphere.
Her role wasn’t a background cameo; it was a full-fledged performance. With dialogue, dance, and a tender onscreen romance, Ray became the face of the video that turned MTV into a cinematic experience.
Director John Landis, who helmed An American Werewolf in London, initially considered Flashdance star Jennifer Beals for the part, but it was Ray’s chemistry with Jackson that sealed the deal.
The Human Behind the Iconic Smile
After the video’s massive success, Ray’s life took turns both triumphant and turbulent. She battled addiction in the 1990s and faced the double standard that often shadows women in Hollywood. Yet, when her daughter was born in 1995, she refocused her life entirely, becoming a stay-at-home mother before returning to music and writing years later.
In recent years, Ray has reemerged with renewed purpose. She’s written songs, tried her hand at screenwriting, and published her memoir, The Thrill of It All (2022). She’s also spoken publicly about her journey of recovery and resilience, using her platform to advocate for survivors of domestic violence and addiction.
“Michael had so much joy and peace in his life at that time,” she reflected. “That’s what I remember most. The laughter. The fun. The magic.”
Legacy of a Moment That Never Fades
It’s been over 40 years since the world first saw Thriller, but Ola Ray’s story still carries weight — not just because of what she represented in that iconic red dress, but because of what she’s come to stand for now: survival, grace, and legacy beyond fame.
“Every Halloween, people dance to it, kids discover it for the first time,” she once said. “And I think, wow — Michael was right. Everybody really did get to know who Ola Ray is.”
