Ola Ray wants to get paid
In 1983, the “Thriller” music video, co-starring Ola Ray, hit the airwaves. Ola Ray played Michael Jackson’s date in the famous, 14-minute video, and 26 years later, she wants her cut.
Ola Ray claims in a lawsuit that she hasn’t been paid royalties for “Thriller,” which won two Grammys and four MTV Awards.
Price of fame
When the “Thriller” video came out, it was the most expensive music video ever made. It cost $500,000. However, Wikipedia points out that “Thriller” was “less a conventional video and more a full-fledged short subject or mini-film.”
I’m sure any cash advance loans taken for the making of “Thriller” were swiftly repaid. The video quickly became famous worldwide, and is still one of the most-referenced music videos — if not the most — in pop culture.
Let the royalties flow
Under the “cinema” section alone on Wikipedia, it lists 14 instances in pop culture cinema where “Thriller” is used or referenced. Some listings, such as character Sammy’s outfit in “The Wedding Singer” probably don’t require payment for using it. However, for the scene in “13 Going on 30,” that features not only the song but the choreography, there is no doubt some cash exchanged hands.
Ola Ray is looking for her piece of that and possibly hundreds of other transactions. There are 26 listings under references to “Thriller” on TV, as well as dozens more listings in which other music videos, video games and even some books reference the classic. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Ola Ray Goes After Chunk of Michael Jackson's Fortune"
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