Jacko Recruits Brando, Sopranos for Video

ByABC News
August 31, 2001, 2:42 PM

August 30 -- When you hear Michael Jackson's new song "You Rock My World," you don't automatically think of Marlon Brando, Reservoir Dogs toughie Michael Madsen, or the cast of The Sopranos, do you?

But industry buzz says you will after seeing the music video to the song, the first single off Invincible, Jackson's first album in four years.

The King of Pop's offer to Brando to appear in the video reportedly wasn't refused by the Godfather star. The two eccentric celebs have been friends for years: Brando's son Miko worked as the singer's bodyguard, and the mumbly Method actor gave Jackson acting lessons for his Thriller video, according to the New York Daily News. Brando is also among those honoring Jackson at his 30th anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden next month.

Jacko's first "You Rock My World" choice was said to have been Robert De Niro, but the Daily News reports that the two-time Oscar winner "[didn't] give it a lot of thought." Others reportedly roped into appearing in the video are Rush Hour 2 funnyman Chris Tucker and Traffic's Benicio Del Toro.

The New York tab reports that the video may have cost as much as $4 million, with $1 million of that going to Brando. Guess he's got to make up for that lost Scary Movie 2 salary somewhere, eh?

Jackson, who opened trading today at the NASDAQ stock exchange, previously burned through the dough for the videos for "Scream" and "History," which are said to be among the most expensive mini-movies ever made.

According to the Daily News, the star-studded "You Rock My World" video will get a major theatrical premiere in a few weeks.

Representatives for Jackson's record label, Epic, said that the upbeat dance tune was released a few days earlier than planned after the track was "leaked" by a pair of New York City stations that had obtained a bootleg copy, Reuters reports.

But several radio programmers seemed skeptical, saying they believed Epic itself leaked the song early to generate a buzz. In either case, radio stations are reporting a lukewarm reception to the song among listeners and programmers.