Tatiana Thumbtzen,
best known for being Michael Jackson's video vixen for his 1987
chart topping hit 'The Way You Make Me Feel'.
She was handpicked by the artist because
of Jackson's explicit attraction towards the young model, slinky and sensual,
with flowing tightly curled hair, porcelain skin and chiseled features.
Many believed Tatiana was meant
to represent the female manifestation of Jackson.
Her innate blend of sex appeal,
as well as childhood innocence, appealed to the artist and a relationship
developed between the two over the coming months.
However, after multiple private
interactions and show performances, including that infamous onstage kiss,
Tatiana was all of a sudden dropped and iced out of Jackson's inner circle
with no further explanation, leaving Thumbtzen utterly devastated.
But what invisible line had she crossed? Did she prove herself to be a traitor,
manipulator or an obsessive fanatic of Jackson? Here is the full detail.
Her background, Tatiana Thumbtzen was born in Clearwater, Florida. As a child
she developed a love for dancing
and at the age of 13, she moved with her parents to New York
and attended the American Ballet School. At age 17, Tatiana Thumbtzen decided
to quit dancing to pursue a career in modeling and soon after
Thumbtzen signed with Ford Modeling Agency only to be dropped a week later.
Being a mix of African-American, Cherokee,
Indian, Cuban and Irish, quote, "they just didn't know what to do with me."
They told me you're not black enough and you're not white enough.
I was stunned and saddened by this, even though I was warned
by the established model Janice Dickinson not to work with them.
Tatiana Thumbtzen then signed
with Zoley Agency who secured her a contract modeling in Japan,
becoming one of their biggest models for the next five years.
Thumbtzen's first experience as a video
girl came when she appeared in Herbie Hancock, 1985 single 'Hard Rock'
and a high energy surrealist film shoot in the New York City subway system
before working with Michael Jackson, Thumbtzen was already a massive fan,
having apparently burst into tears when she was unable to get tickets to see him
and his brothers perform during 1984's Victory tour.
However, that same year,
while on her way to one of many casting calls, she recounted how she could not
believe her luck when she came across her idol alone and pounding the pavement
of New York City. Dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt
with a cap pulled down low on his face, Tatiana wanted so badly to stop and talk,
but she just could not figure out what to say.
Thumbtzen trailed behind Jackson for about five blocks before it hit her
that she was going to be late and had to run for her next audition.
First meeting in 1987, Tatiana Thumbtzen was sent
on an audition for a music video shoot but wasn't told whose video it was for.
The 27 year old model was told to walk and show some attitude.
The scene took place on a street in a rough area.
A bunch of guys start hassling
the character she was reading for taunting her with lines like, 'Hey baby, what's up?'
After impressing Jackson's team,
Tatiana was then asked to attend a low key dress rehearsal.
This is when she would discover the video
was, in fact, for Michael Jackson and his song, 'The Way You Make Me Feel', quote,
"Michael was there, but I was too shy to even look at him.
At first, the choreographer directed me
to go through some moves, which I followed perfectly.
Finally, I glanced up at Michael.
He was sitting there in a red shirt
bopping to the music with this big happy grin on his face.
I saw him turn to the person next to him and say something".
After meeting the young model,
Michael Jackson had apparently said to the video director, "She's the one.
The rest are extras".
Jackson handpicked her himself out of 200 women.
One of the reasons he chose her was
because he wanted a girl to whom he felt a real sexual attraction with.
Upon hearing the news, Tatiana recounted that she screamed so
loud that all of Hollywood must have heard it.
It was a milestone accomplishment for that.
She had finally made it and her career
would soon be taking off. While on the shoot Thumbtzen went
into wardrobe and it was agreed that she would wear a short black dress.
The exact look that she wore for the original audition taping the boots
were hers and the bracelets were hers, too.
Although painfully shy and intimidated by the musical icon,
Tatiana attempted to break the ice by asking Jackson what he was going to wear.
Dressed simply in black pants, a white T-shirt and a long sleeve royal
blue shirt with a white sash tied in a bow at the front.
Tatiana felt she was overdressed compared to his costume.
But Jackson said in a soft voice, And this is what I'm wearing.
Tatiana Thumbtzen described being on set that day watching Michael Jackson dance
and that, quote "it was even more amazing to see him in person.
You can tell he has so much passion for what he does".
Between the mini breaks on the five day video shoot.
Thumbtzen admitted. to Jackson that she saw him years ago
in New York and that she followed him a few blocks.
He laughed and said, oh, really?
Why didn't you say something? Truly ironic that Tatiana Thumbtzen just
a few years previously had followed him on the streets of New York.
And now here he was, the one chasing her through a set made
to look like the Big Apple and his new music video.
Both were shy and awkward at first,
but chemistry between them started to heat up as the days went on,
getting into the mood of the video, Thumbtzen
recalls how Jackson approached her up close and boldly studied her.
He asked if she was a ballerina
and was impressed that she was trained and could dance on her toes.
Tatiana revealed that during the filming
of 'The Way You Make Me Feel', Jackson flirted with her a lot, during one take.
the heel of Tatiana's boot was caught
in the car's upholstery, and Michael put his hand on her leg to help pull it out.
When she pulled away, she began to tumble out of the car, falling on her butt.
As the director, Joe Pytka yelled, Get up, keep it going and don't stop.
As she did, Michael got out of the car and started wiping her butt off.
Quote,
"The fall caused a run in my stockings and the stylist wanted me to change.
I started walking off the set and Michael asked, Where are you going?
I explained.
But he disapproved by saying, No, I like it.
I think the run is neat.
It's sexy".
Working within such close proximity to each other over the five day video shoot,
affections grew between the two. Too shy to ask himself,
Tatiana was approached by one of Michael's
own security to see if she had a boyfriend.
A bit later, Latoya, Michael's sister and mother, Katherine,
arrived on the set and Thumbtzen was introduced to them.
After completing the video's choreographed
dance segment, Michael Jackson requested a closed set for the two's final scene.
No one was allowed on set other than people necessary to the shoot.
That meant no dancers, visitors or extras.
It was rumored that the two were scripted to kiss
at the end of the video scene, but the director came up to Tatiana
and whispered in her ear, quote, 'Don't kiss him.
He's too shy for that'.
And she respected his direction. Between the scenes
Michael said to Tatiana.
"I heard you wanted to dance in this video".
She laughed and admitted it was true,
which Michael replied, "Don't worry, we'll work together again".
Love blossoms.
Immediately after the shoot wrapped,
Michael Jackson flew to Japan to begin the first leg of his Bad World tour.
The completed music video was released
in November 1987, and as a result, Tatiana Thumbtzen became an overnight
video star and was recognized wherever she went.
A few months later, in January 1988, during a break in performing,
Jackson got in contact with Tatiana again to invite her on set for the video single
"Leave Me Alone", located in Culver City, Thumbtzen arrived on the lot while Michael
was between takes, and he seemed genuinely pleased to see her immediately telling her
that 'The Way You Make Me Feel' was currently charting at number one that week
for the rest of her visit, he was full on smiles as his personal
photographer paired the two for photos using a full roll of film for the couple.
Allegedly, Michael Jackson also wanted to feature his new love interest
in the music video for the single 'Dirty Diana'. Thumbtzen recounts that she
received a message from Michael's office to audition for the video.
But when she asked Frank DiLeo, Michael's manager, about it,
he said he was keen to not have the same girl for two different videos.
Quote, "You don't want to be known
for doing too many videos and the role as a negative character, just leave it be".
In Joe Jackson's book, published in 2004,
Joe recalls Michael Jackson's relationship with Tatiana.
Quote, He invited the girl to her home so that my wife and I could get to know her.
She was young, beautiful,
and she had the heart of a child, Tatiana Thumbtzen
has said that the entire Jackson family liked her, that Michael's nephews
and nieces even called her Tatiana Jackson.
Tatiana also recounts that Michael's
mother told her that he was in love with her.
Joe Jackson recalled that, quote,
"Michael has admitted to his mother that he was in love with the wonderful dancer.
There was a strong sexual attraction
between them, but he would like to know her better".
As a result,
Tatiana was invited to perform with Michael Jackson on several dates
of the bad tour once it arrived in the U.S. Seeing his tours as a way
to bring alive the videos that made his music so popular.
Having Tatiana perform the now famous 'The Way You Make Me Feel' Routine with him
on stage was important to him, but also allowed him time to get to know
her while he was traveling the world and performing to millions.
Tensions build.
In late February 1988, while performing as a dancer
on Michael Jackson's tour, Tatiana said Jackson told his crew members
never to talk to her outside of work, which she also perceived as meaning.
They don't even think about trying to get with her.
But at the same time, she never got to be alone with him
and longed to finally get some time with the man she had suddenly fallen for
the only time she saw Michael was on stage or on television.
She was isolated from others and was usually alone in her hotel room.
Watching movies are wondering what Michael was doing.
Quote, "I felt as though I was some sort of Barbie
doll that they took out of the box when they needed to show it off.
But I kept getting all these reports that Michael was in love with me.
It was confusing and lonely to be me".
On March 1st, a People magazine piece aired interviewing Tatiana.
Michael's PR team set up the interview,
but surprisingly, Michael did not know anything about it
until later, to her surprise, but not to her dismay,
the story read as though Michael had found his soulmate her.
This piece triggered a flurry of tabloid attention on the couple and thumbs and was
their target regularly receiving phone calls from reporters from her hotel room.
They asked her all sorts of questions
about Michael, quote, I put them off by saying, I've got to go.
What's it like working with Michael?
I finally gave in and replied, I love it. It's great.
But what was printed was that I said, I love him.
The following day, March 2nd, Tatiana performed with Jackson for the 1988
Grammy Awards at the famed Radio City Music Hall.
Quote, "Four years earlier,
I had cried about not being able to attend a Michael Jackson concert.
And now here I was,
a special feature in one". After Thumbtzen enacted out her part
on stage, she stood in the wings watching the rest of Jackson's performance, quote,
"I was deeply lost in a trance like everyone else.
Someone walked in front of me and as I
shifted my position, the woman turned to me and said, 'Oh, excuse me'.
It was the one and only Miss Diana Ross.
She was the woman that Michael admired as he grew up.
Well, so had I".
Just a few days later,
Thumbtzen performed at New York's Madison Square Garden as part of Jackson's tour.
Strutting back and forth across the stage,
she decided to change up the routine, having little time to spend with Jackson
in private, Tatiana became tempted to act out her desires for him during their
performance by grabbing his collar and landing a big.
Kiss on his cheek.
The fans went berserk and she left the stage, she heard a laugh in every
note Michael sang. The dancers told her that he was happy and excited about
the kiss, telling her. "Oh, boy, you just made Michael's day.
He was happy".
The next night was the last time Thumbtzen was scheduled to perform.
And she decided to call Michael to ask if
it would be all right, if she could take it a step further.
"Oh, sure, that'll be great", he answered.
After all, he would pull a girl out of the audience and embrace her.
Why would a kiss from someone he already knew the big deal the next night,
when Thumbtzen stepped on stage, there was that roar from the audience.
Again, they were fired up.
Well, for a few brief seconds I thought
about whether or not I should follow through on the kiss.
As I stepped up to him and put my arms around his collar,
he looked deep into my eyes, almost as though he was challenging me.
Then he did this sexy little thing where he bit his bottom lip.
I placed my arm around his waist and I
landed a kiss right on his mouth after her performance Thumbtzen walked
backstage and immediately felt hostility towards her from Jackson's team.
Even though Michael's mother, Katherine, walked towards her and gave her a warm
embracing hug at the hotel, Tatiana was approached by Miko Brando,
Marlon Brando's son and Michael's friend, yelling at the top of his lungs.
"How dare you fucking take advantage of him like that?
You fucking bitch!
Who the fuck do you think you are?
I cannot believe you took advantage him like that in front of all those people."
It was at this point Tatiana Thumbtzen
realized she had possibly made a terrible mistake.
Watch Part two to hear what happened
immediately after this very public on stage kiss and the devastation it
caused and Tatiana's life in its aftermath.