Marlon Brando barely appeared on camera in his final years. One of the few places he did show up was a music video. In 2001, Michael Jackson brought together Brando, Michael Madsen, and his close friend Chris Tucker in a short film. The song climbed to number ten in America on radio play alone. That film was “You Rock My World.”
Tucker was not there to be serious. He plays the loud friend, chasing a girl into a club while Michael strolls behind him, calm and smiling. The contrast is the entire joke. One man will not stop talking. The other barely needs to. Michael later admitted that filming with Tucker was difficult because he would start laughing the second the director called “action”.
Michael Jackson, “You Rock My World” (Official Video)
People still talk about these two together. One viewer wrote that Chris Tucker loved him some Michael Jackson. Another said it warmed the heart to see Tucker still standing ten toes down for his brother. A third said the thing everybody was thinking. What a time to be alive during their friendship era.
The film showed the world what that friendship looked like from the outside. A year later, Michael said it out loud. In January 2002, he stepped on stage at the American Music Awards to collect the Artist of the Century award, and he spent part of that moment talking about his friend.
Michael Jackson, Artist of the Century Speech, American Music Awards 2002
He called Tucker the funniest man alive, and called what they had the definition of a true friendship. Tucker later explained why it mattered so much to him. He said his biggest moment with Michael was making him laugh. Michael would crack up at the way Tucker talked, because he thought he sounded country.
Michael spent almost his whole life being watched by somebody. Very few people ever saw him loose and easy. Tucker was one of them, and he still speaks about it gently. Follow Michael Jackson on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. There is far more to this man than the stage he stood on.