Paris Jackson has shared new details about her unusual childhood as the daughter of one of the world’s most famous music stars. Speaking with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the 28-year-old singer and model discussed life with her father Michael Jackson, her years at Neverland Ranch and the strict rules under which she and her brothers were raised. Despite Neverland’s amusement rides, movie theatre and animals, Paris said the estate was not an unlimited playground for Jackson’s children. She explained that many of the attractions were primarily intended for underprivileged and seriously ill children who visited the property. Paris and her brothers had to earn entertainment through chores and schoolwork. They were homeschooled, while television and movies were also restricted. Paris described her father as a very funny man and her best friend. She also explained why Michael Jackson had his children wear masks in public – he wanted their faces to remain relatively unknown so they could sometimes go out and experience ordinary activities without being immediately recognised.
Michael Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, when Paris was only 11, completely changed her life. She also recalled the memorial service the following month, when she unexpectedly decided to step up to the microphone and speak about her father in front of millions of viewers. According to Paris, the moment was not planned in advance. Following her father’s death, she had to adapt to a very different life and later struggled with substance abuse during her teenage years. Paris said drugs and alcohol became a way of coping with feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. Years later, she began her recovery and says she has been sober since the first week of 2020. She has spoken publicly about her addiction and recovery before, describing sobriety as a major turning point in her life.
Paris also discussed her mother, Debbie Rowe, with whom she did not grow up. Following Rowe and Michael Jackson’s divorce, her father had full custody of Paris and her brother Prince. Paris said she first met her mother when she was 15, after becoming curious about her in the years following her father’s death. Over time, the two developed a relationship and discovered they had several things in common. Today, Paris continues to pursue music, acting and modelling while building an identity and career of her own beyond her famous family name. Her account also presents a less familiar picture of childhood at Neverland – behind the extraordinary surroundings and worldwide fame were schooling, chores, rules and efforts by Michael Jackson to protect some degree of privacy and normality for his children.
