Tatiana Thumbtzen
Encyclopedia
Tatiana Thumbtzen is an American
actress, model
and dancer. She is mostly well known for her role in portraying the love interest of pop
star Michael Jackson
in the "The Way You Make Me Feel
" music video
off his seventh studio album, Bad
.
when she was thirteen on a ballet scholarship, where she studied at Juilliard
in the school of American Ballet, a training camp for choreographer George Balanchine
of the New York City Ballet Company.
She stated in an interview that through dance, she acquired a contract for modelling, and by age nineteen, she had gone to Japan
to start her career as a model
. Once returning to New York, Thumbtzen began working on a Harry Belafonte
Production film, Beat Street
, before moving to Los Angeles at the end of 1986 to begin working on commercials and print-work. She claims that one of her first print work jobs was a campaign for Billy Dean Williams for LA Eyewear.
Thumbtzen, applied with few other jobs, landed the job of acting in Michael Jackson
's "The Way You Make Me Feel
" music video
after being picked by him in the audition. Filming began around the end of 1987 to the start of 1988, which was said to be the beginning of Thumbtzen's career. Thumbtzen kissed Jackson on stage, being the first kiss in public for Jackson. She claims she was fired soon after at the encouragement of his "entourage" and family for taking advantage of the star by kissing him, and was replaced with Sheryl Crow
.
Thumbtzen also appeared in the opening credits of the television series "A Different World".
Tatiana attended Michael Jackson's final funeral service in September 2009. Shortly after Jackson's death, she saw Frank Dileo and they settled their differences before Dileo's passing in 2011.
She told her story in Once More With Feeling, a kiss and tell follow-up book to You'll Never Make Love in This Town Again
, published by Dove Books in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and dancer. She is mostly well known for her role in portraying the love interest of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
star Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in the "The Way You Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me Feel
"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B...
" music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
off his seventh studio album, Bad
Bad (album)
Bad is the seventh studio album by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on August 31, 1987 by Epic/CBS Records, nearly five years after Jackson's previous studio album, Thriller, which went on to become the world's best-selling album...
.
Career
Thumbtzen is of black, Cherokee Indian, Cuban and Irish heritage. Tatiana's family name is of German decent. She began to train in ballet at the age of eight, and moved to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
when she was thirteen on a ballet scholarship, where she studied at Juilliard
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in the school of American Ballet, a training camp for choreographer George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
of the New York City Ballet Company.
She stated in an interview that through dance, she acquired a contract for modelling, and by age nineteen, she had gone to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to start her career as a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. Once returning to New York, Thumbtzen began working on a Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
Production film, Beat Street
Beat Street
Beat Street is a 1984 drama film, following Wild Style in featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s; breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti.-Plot:...
, before moving to Los Angeles at the end of 1986 to begin working on commercials and print-work. She claims that one of her first print work jobs was a campaign for Billy Dean Williams for LA Eyewear.
Thumbtzen, applied with few other jobs, landed the job of acting in Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "The Way You Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me Feel
"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B...
" music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
after being picked by him in the audition. Filming began around the end of 1987 to the start of 1988, which was said to be the beginning of Thumbtzen's career. Thumbtzen kissed Jackson on stage, being the first kiss in public for Jackson. She claims she was fired soon after at the encouragement of his "entourage" and family for taking advantage of the star by kissing him, and was replaced with Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
.
Thumbtzen also appeared in the opening credits of the television series "A Different World".
Tatiana attended Michael Jackson's final funeral service in September 2009. Shortly after Jackson's death, she saw Frank Dileo and they settled their differences before Dileo's passing in 2011.
She told her story in Once More With Feeling, a kiss and tell follow-up book to You'll Never Make Love in This Town Again
You'll Never Make Love in This Town Again
You'll Never Make Love In This Town Again is a book published in January 1996 which describes the stories of three prostitutes and one actress about their sexual encounters with various Hollywood celebrities. The sisters Robin Greer and Liza Greer are contributors along with Alexandra D. Datig,...
, published by Dove Books in 1996.