The Stunning Transformation Of Paris Jackson

It's tempting to view celebrities' adorable children as chips off the old blocks, and when it comes to Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris Jackson, that vision might actually be true. Following the King of Pop's untimely death in 2009, Jackson has done everything to follow in her father's footsteps. She has become a musician, singer, and performer. She has gone on tour. She has even starred in music videos — just like her dad once did. Even Jackson's older brother, Prince Michael Jackson, cannot deny the similarities between the dad and daughter. As he told Rolling Stone, "Basically, as a person, she is who my dad is. The only thing that's different would be her age and her gender."

Of course, to reduce Jackson to a caricature of M.J. would be unfair. Unlike Michael, the younger Jackson is not just a musician but also an actor and a model. She has also dealt with the inevitable challenges of growing up in the spotlight. And even though her father joined the ranks of celebrity parents who require their children to follow strict rules, Jackson eventually had to face the real world on her own. As she has gotten used to being a part of society, Jackson has also transformed from a sheltered child to a strong independent career woman in her own right.

Growing up with an extremely famous dad, Jackson had an unusual and quiet childhood. She described these years to Harper's Bazaar, saying, "The first 12 years of my life I was homeschooled ...  Which means that the only interactions I'd ever had were with family members or other adults."

Jackson didn't spend as much time around other kids as most kids her age, and so in some ways, she wasn't much of a kid herself. When she was no longer home-schooled at 12 years old starting in 2010, she had to readjust to a new life. She went on to the tell the magazine that she "didn't have social skills. I had to force myself to learn so fast. ... For the past six years, I've been learning how to communicate. And I think I've gotten pretty good at it."

Even though Paris Jackson had an unusual childhood and an extremely famous father, she still felt that her life growing up had certain normal elements. Did she grow up in a house that also had an amusement park? Yes, but she couldn't go on rides whenever she wanted. As she told Rolling Stone, "We couldn't just go on the rides whenever we wanted to. ... We actually had a pretty normal life. Like, we had school every single day, and we had to be good. And if we were good, every other weekend or so, we could choose whether we were gonna go to the movie theater or see the animals or whatever. But if you were on bad behavior, then you wouldn't get to go do all those things."

And as for her dad, she had never doubted his love for her. She continued on to say, "His No. 1 focus for us ... besides loving us, was education."

After Jackson's father died in 2009, she went through a few tough years. As she described to Rolling Stone in 2017, back in June of 2013, the then-15-year-old tried to kill herself, already struggling with depression and drug addiction. She later was able to verbalize what was happening at the time, saying, "It was just self-hatred ... low self-esteem, thinking that I couldn't do anything right, not thinking I was worthy of living anymore."

Jackson attempted to commit suicide multiple times but was eventually sent to a therapeutic school in Utah during her high school years. These years had a big impact on Jackson. "It was great for me," she said. "I'm a completely different person ... I was crazy. I was actually crazy. I was going through a lot of, like, teen angst. And I was also dealing with my depression and my anxiety without any help."

Although we know she's a talented artist, Jackson's original career goals were more science-focused. As she told Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show" (via CNN), "I originally wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid ... Then I had this huge fear of black holes because my brother learned a bunch of stuff about it, and he's like, 'Oh, yeah, if you go into one you're never coming back.'"

So she scratched that plan, and luckily, it has worked out for her. She found acting and never looked back. She went on to say, "I've been taking classes since I was 13, and I enjoy it a lot ... Now that I'm actually doing it I got bit by the bug."

While acting is important to Jackson, it's actually modeling that has had a bigger effect on her life thus far. She opened up to Rolling Stone about her struggle in the past with self-image and how being in front of a camera helps. "I've had self-esteem issues for a really, really long time," she said. "Plenty of people think I'm ugly, and plenty of people don't."

Jackson admitted that being in front of the camera and modeling is a huge help to her self-esteem. She continued, "But there's a moment when I'm modeling where I forget about my self-esteem issues and focus on what the photographer's telling me — and I feel pretty. And in that sense, it's selfish."

Jackson has also overcome her self-esteem issues by expressing herself through nudity. As E! News reported, the star posted on Instagram a photo of herself along with a caption addressing the topic. She said, "Nudity started as a movement for 'going back to nature,' 'expressing freedom,' 'being healthier' and was even called a philosophy. Being naked is part of what makes us human. ... It's actually a beautiful thing and you don't have to make it sexual the way many Hollywood stars (and the media) do." 

She encouraged those who follow her to not focus on flaws, saying, "The human body is a beautiful thing and no matter what 'flaws' you have, whether it be scars, or extra weight, stretch marks, freckles, whatever, it is beautiful and you should express yourself however you feel comfortable."

Even though Jackson loves performing, she definitely considered not being in the spotlight. But as the then-18-year-old told Harper's Bazaar in early 2017, she wanted to give a voice to those who don't have the same means she does. "Plenty of times I've thought about not doing anything in the public eye and having my own private life," she said. "Then I started seeing how everything in the world is going. And I feel like each year it's getting worse."

She also discussed the topic with Teen Vogue and talked about what she views as her responsibility. "[A]fter a long time of thinking, I started to really see the kind of impact I already have on people, how I was born with a platform, and I didn't want to waste it," she said. "There are so many people who work their entire lives to create a platform and mine was just handed to me. ... Why not use it for something important?"

A lot has changed since Michael Jackson died, but Paris Jackson never hesitates to say that the loss of her father still affects her. As she told Rolling Stone, "They always say, 'Time heals ... But it really doesn't. You just get used to it. I live life with the mentality of, 'OK, I lost the only thing that has ever been important to me. So going forward, anything bad that happens can't be nearly as bad as what happened before.' So I can handle it."

And throughout this time, Jackson has continued to make her father an important focus her in life. During the interview, she shared that nine of her tattoos are devoted to Michael. She also sees him in her dreams. She said, "I feel him with me all the time."

In January 2017, after the Rolling Stone article was published, Paris Jackson received some criticism for her statements. In particular, Wendy Williams spoke on her talk show about Jackson's fame, saying, "You can not be on the cover of one of the most prestigious entertainment and influential magazines in the world and just be the daughter of and tell your story inside."

Jackson did not sit back and do nothing — instead, she addressed the comments in a tweet, saying, "she seems to think about the family a lot considering she makes all these claims about us. why are we on her mind so often."

She addressed the article as well and made her thoughts crystal clear, tweeting, "will not be answering any press regarding the rolling stone article whatsoever. if you have questions then read it, it's crystal clear."

When Teen Vogue asked her what advice she would have given herself when she was younger, she showed the wisdom she has gained through all of her life experience. She said, "Probs that it's OK to not be OK. Don't be so hard on yourself. And stop comparing everyone else's 'highlight reel' to your 'behind the scenes.' Please don't give up, because it gets better, and it gets beautiful."

And her advice for her fans? Keep on keeping on. "We are all warriors in our own way," she said, "but it's up to you whether you decide to fight or sit idly, whether you're a part of the right cause or not. And don't just follow everything that comes up on your phone or computer screen. Look up to something honest, strong, brave, loving, and worthwhile." Wise words from a wise woman.

In 2019, Paris Jackson saw her name make headlines — and not in an appropriate way. Following reports that she had checked into a wellness facility, Jackson watched as gossip columnists wrote unkindly about her mental health. Sadly, it seems that Jackson was just trying to take care of herself. As one source close to the singer told People at the time: "She checked herself into a treatment facility to aid in her wellness plan and is looking forward to coming out of this revitalized and ready to tackle the exciting new projects that await her." Despite this uplifting take, some reports about Jackson were so negative that the musician felt inclined to fight back against these rumors on Instagram.

As CNN reported at the time, Jackson went as far as to address the gossip directly in a since-deleted post. "Yes i've taken a break from work and social media and my phone because it can be too much sometimes, and everyone deserves a break, but i am happy and healthy and feeling better than ever," she wrote. Per People, Jackson also spoke out via a now-deleted tweet on X, the platform that was then known as Twitter. "[P]lease don't believe what you read. [J]ust bc I was spotted grabbing coffee in LA after taking a nice long break from the chaotic media for some reason makes some 'journalists' think they can run wild with my name," she wrote.

Paris Jackson has long been passionate about her modeling career, but it wasn't until 2020 that she broke into the major leagues of haute couture. In that year, she auditioned to walk in Jean Paul Gaultier's runway show at Paris Fashion Week. And if it felt like there was a lot at stake, that's because there was. Not only was the collection at hand — titled Maison — totally high fashion, but it was also Gaultier's last-ever show. It was hardly a secret that the show was about to become iconic.

Jackson, it seems, understood this. After all, she burst into tears when she was chosen. "I cried when they said, 'We will see you tomorrow' after the casting," she later told Luisaviaroma. "'Does that mean I am walking for you guys?' I asked, and screamed when they confirmed." This accomplishment was apparently made all the sweeter by the fact that there was more than just nepotism at play. Never one to lean into her celebrity nepo baby status, Jackson was thrilled to lock down this position on her own. "There was a sense of earning it; there are requisites. They aren't going to pick anyone who can't walk, or pick you just because you are pretty or have a cool name attached to you," she said in the same interview. Jackson clearly knew what she was doing, leaving the show with excellent reviews and an even brighter future ahead.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Paris Jackson found herself confronting the rules of social distancing — just like everyone else. But unlike the average American, Jackson was collaborating with the band known as the Struts to create a new song. According to Jackson, the band's lead singer, Luke Spiller, was the one to reach out first. "Luke was like 'Let's work together,' and I said, 'Yes, please,'" she later told Luisaviaroma. However, as enthusiastic as Jackson was about the collab, she had no control over the pandemic. Because of this, she and Spiller held many of their meetings and recording sessions over Zoom.

The result of these meetings was the song "Low Key in Love" — which has accumulated over 300,000 views on YouTube as of the publication of this article. In the same interview, Jackson seemed proud of the final product, as well as all the effort that it took to create it. "It was a really interesting experience to be able to say we did that digitally through the World Wide Web. Same for the video, which was shot on two separate parts of the planet," she shared. As a longtime fan of the Struts, Jackson viewed the song as a dream come true. When she first watched them perform live years before, Jackson thought, "I'd never seen anything like this, but I imagine this was what my favorite bands were like in their prime."

Paris Jackson has endured a number of tragedies throughout her life, but they did not prevent her from wanting to help others. If anything, many of Jackson's struggles have motivated her to join the activism world — where she has fought tirelessly for ecological causes, including animal rights and sustainability. Every time that Jackson's fame has grown, she has taken advantage of her ever-expanding platform to share her views. As she revealed in a 2022 interview with Numéro, "I've always spoken out about these subjects. Each time I've been involved in a fashion or film project, I showed my activism by talking about the themes that are important to me."

Perhaps this attitude stems from the very core of Jackson's identity. As the daughter of the King of Pop, Jackson has long understood the implications of living one's life in the spotlight. For this reason, she has not seemed particularly impressed by those who chase publicity for publicity's sake. In the same interview, Jackson shared, "I want to use my time and my fame to spotlight what matters to me. And I think that doing something only for money or for glory is a waste." 

Many of her projects boast ties to her quest for change. Referring to her modeling career, Jackson said, "I adore posing for Stella McCartney, who is fighting for a more ethical and sustainable fashion business as well as for animal rights."

Being Michael Jackson's daughter can't be easy. Over the years, Paris Jackson has transformed her wardrobe, her career, and her public image to try to escape from her father's shadow. All this pivoting made it difficult for the musician to take care of herself physically and mentally. But by 2024, Jackson knew that self-care had to be a priority. Speaking to The Telegraph at the time, Jackson explained, "I've been so big on mental health for such a long time, it's nice finding a balance for my physical health too, and having the two of them aligned."

To focus on her physical health, Jackson started going on long walks in Yosemite National Park. She also signed up for a number of nature retreats, where she could easily access hiking trails. "[T]he big reason why I still live in California is because of the amount of nature there," she shared in the same interview. As for her mental health, Jackson added, "In everyday life the first thing I do is pray. I pray in the morning and at night and sometimes throughout the day." Journaling also became important for the musician.

Like many other celebrities, Jackson developed a penchant for meditation. However, she has admitted to inconsistency with her practice. "I haven't been good about meditating in the last month," she told The Telegraph. That said, she hopes that meditating more frequently will strengthen her overall well-being.

Michael Jackson's kids live lavish lives full of gorgeous outfits, luxurious trips, and of course, red carpet appearances. Paris Jackson is never one to fade into the background and has worn some truly stunning clothing to these events — including one or two controversial pieces. When she attended the 2025 Golden Globes, Jackson sported two sheer outfits that left little to the imagination. At the Amazon MGM Studios kickoff party, she wore a tight dress that almost perfectly matched her skin tone. The fabric, though, was transparent enough to reveal her chest tattoo. Later that same evening, the musician wore a black dress that was so see-through that everything from her waist up was visible.

Although Jackson's outfits inspired a number of negative reactions online, she tried not to let the haters get to her. Instead, as Hola! reported, Jackson took to her Instagram Stories to tell everyone to calm down. "We're all animals, we've all got bodies. It's not that big of a deal and we've got bigger fish to fry," she told her followers. She went on to encourage her critics to worry about something more consequential than her wardrobe, telling them, "Let's do something for the environment, man. Let's do something for the planet, man." Addressing her fans, Jackson had a more positive message to share: "It's your body, you've got one, I've got one, we've all got it's OK. There's nothing wrong with it."

On December 6, 2024, Paris Jackson celebrated music producer Justin Long's birthday with a special surprise for fans — an engagement announcement. Indeed, Jackson took to Instagram with some adorable photos, one of which showed Long down on one knee. Jackson captioned the post with words worthy of a romance novel: "happy birthday my sweet blue. doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and i couldn't dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. thank you for letting me be yours. i love you."

Reflecting her role as an activist, Jackson's ring boasted a three-carat lab-grown diamond. And while these artificially produced jewels are known for being inexpensive, Jackson hardly makes the list of wealthy celebrities with surprisingly cheap engagement rings. The reason? Louis Cartier's great-great grandson, Louis Dousset, was the mastermind behind the gem. 

Speaking to Page Six, Dousset revealed that designing Jackson's ring was no easy feat. In fact, he spent an entire month on the project because his clients had made a number of special requests concerning the bling. For one thing, it was important to include the number "seven" in the design. For another, Dousset said that Jackson and Long wanted a piece that embodied "understated elegance." Dousset is never one to avoid a challenge, and he fulfilled this request gracefully. He even sourced the lab-grown diamond with the unique glassy characteristics that were once popular during the Renaissance.

Over the years, Paris Jackson has developed an interest in astrology, crystals, and all things magical. As she revealed in a chat with Access Hollywood, "I've bought like candles and crystals and things like that off of Etsy." Leading up to her wedding with Justin Long, though, this passion for New Age practices reached a whole new level. In the same interview, Jackson admitted, "We're planning. The dress is being made. The venue has been picked. The date has been picked by an astrologer because I'm from LA, so. You know, [I'm] all about the crystals and the astrologer and all that stuff."

But just because Jackson enjoys a hint of magic does not mean that she relies on it. Later on in the same interview, when Jackson was asked if she knew that Long was the one, her reaction to the question was mixed. "Yeah," she said slowly, before adding, "But we built it. That's something that we built. Together." It seems that while Jackson enjoys certain elements of astrology, she doesn't view her upcoming marriage through that same mystical lens. If anything, she appears to enjoy the fun side of astrology, while recognizing that maintaining a long-term relationship requires work. 

Although Paris Jackson has long been hailed as a musician and a model, her talents are quite varied. In fact, she has even pursued an acting career, appearing in "American Horror Stories" and "Scream: The TV Series." In 2025, though, the budding actor brought her on-screen career to a whole new level. Through her role as Darla in the film, "One Spoon of Chocolate," Jackson established herself as a serious actor with a real future in Hollywood.

Looking back on this experience in a conversation with Access Hollywood, Jackson explained that she actually connected with Darla's character. "It was really cool because there was a lot about my own personal life that I was able to bring to the character Darla," she revealed. Apparently, this majorly facilitated Jackson's work as an actor. As she went on to explain, "There was a lot of just myself that I was able to bring to the character, which made it very easy to do. And it was very easy to tap into the emotions of the character."

Interestingly, much of Jackson's previous acting work remains out of the public eye. As she told Access Hollywood, "I've made movies that just haven't come out. It's been, like, years!" Jackson attributes these delays to "too many cooks" in the creative room. While she may no longer be enthusiastic about these projects, though, many of her fans might be keen to check them out.