What is Ola Ray’s Net Worth?
Ola Ray, an American model and actress, has a net worth of $500 thousand. She is most famous for playing Michael Jackson’s girl in the 1983 music video film “Thriller.”
Ray has also modeled for Playboy and was chosen as the Playmate of the Month in the June 1980 issue. Her acting debut came in the 1981 film “Body and Soul,” followed by roles in “Night Shift,” “48 Hrs,” “10 to Midnight,” “The Man Who Loved Women,” “Fear City,” “The Night Stalker,” and “Beverly Hills Cop II.”
She has also appeared in episodes of several TV series including “Automan,” “Gimme a Break!,” “Cheers,” and “What’s Happening Now!,” as well as in George Benson’s 1980 music video “Give Me the Night.”
Ola Ray’s Royalty Lawsuit Against Michael Jackson
In May 2009, Ola Ray sued Michael Jackson seeking a settlement and a portion of future royalties from Thriller.
Jackson passed away the following month, but his estate settled the lawsuit in 2012 with a payment of $75,000.
Ola had complained about not receiving royalties from Thriller in later years.
Early Life and Family
Ray was born on August 26, 1960 in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up with six brothers and two sisters in St. Louis before her parents moved to Sacramento, California. The family lived there until 1975 when they moved to Tokyo, Japan due to her parents’ divorce. Her mother remarried a man who was stationed at the Yokota Air Force Base in Japan and the family lived there for three years.
The Puppets and Modeling Career in Japan
While in Tokyo, Ola Ray formed a song and dance group with her siblings called The Puppets. The group gained popularity in Japan and landed a year-long contract at the Big Together Club in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District. They performed in various cities and received a recording deal from CBS Records in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Ray also pursued a modeling career and signed with Eddie Arab Modeling Agency. She appeared on magazine covers, posters, and commercials for Japanese department stores like Isetan, Matsuya, and Parco.
Ola Ray’s Rise to Fame
In 1978, Ray returned to the US after three years in Japan and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her modeling and entertainment career. She gained popularity after becoming a Playmate for the June 1980 issue of “Playboy.” This led to a contract with Johnson and Johnson to promote their Classy Curly products, as well as advertisements for Coca Cola, Coors, McDonalds, and Leggs pantyhose, among others.
Ray also appeared in George Benson’s music video for “Give Me the Night” and landed film roles in “Body and Soul” (1981), “Night Shift” and “48 Hrs.” (1982), and “10 to Midnight” and “The Man Who Loved Women” (1983).
Role in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video
In 1983, Ola Ray appeared as Michael Jackson’s girlfriend in the music video for his hit song “Thriller.” This was Jackson’s first time interacting with a woman in a video, and the director encouraged him to develop real chemistry with Ray, which came across on screen. The video became one of the most popular music videos of all time and won numerous awards, including the 1985 Grammy for Best Video Album.
However, Ray later complained that she was not receiving the royalties she had been promised for her role in the video. She initially blamed Jackson for this, but later apologized to him in 1997. In 2009, she sued Jackson for the unpaid royalties, but he died just two months later. Ray ultimately settled with the Jackson estate in 2013 for $75,000.
Ola Ray’s Acting Career
Despite the troubles she faced with Jackson over “Thriller,” Ola Ray’s appearance in the music video helped her career. She landed roles in films like “Fear City,” “The Night Stalker,” and “Beverly Hills Cop II,” as well as TV series like “Cheers” and “What’s Happening Now!!” in the 1980s.
In the 1990s, Ray disappeared from the spotlight until she appeared on “Where Are They Now?” in 2000. She then made appearances as herself in “I Love 1980’s” and “Never Mind the Buzzcocks” in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
Ray took another extended break from acting until 2019 and 2020 when she appeared in “It Wants Blood!” and “Shooting Heroin,” respectively.
Ray’s Memoir “The Thrill of It All” Chronicles Childhood and Fame
In 1995, Ray became a mother to her daughter Iam. In 2022, she published a memoir titled “The Thrill of It All,” which details her upbringing and how she handled sudden fame after appearing in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video.
