Debbie Rowe

Last updated

Debbie Rowe
Born
Deborah Jeanne Rowe

(1958-12-06) December 6, 1958 (age 65)
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Education Hollywood High School
Spouses
Richard Edelman
​
​
(m. 1982;div. 1988)​
​
​
(m. 1996;div. 2000)​
Children2, including Paris Jackson [1]

Deborah Jeanne Rowe (born December 6, 1958) [2] [3] is an American nurse known for being the ex-wife of pop musician Michael Jackson, with whom she had two children. [4]

Contents

Early life

Debbie Rowe was born on December 6, 1958, in Spokane, Washington, to Barbara Chilcutt and Gordon Rowe. Her father divorced her mother a few weeks before her second birthday. She was raised by her mother, a few aunts, and her maternal grandmother. [5]

First marriage

Rowe married Richard Edelman in 1982 and converted to Judaism. The couple divorced six years later. [6]

Relationship with Michael Jackson

Rowe met Michael Jackson while working as an assistant in Arnold Klein's dermatology office, where Jackson was being treated for vitiligo. [7] [6] She recalled that after Jackson's divorce from Lisa Marie Presley in 1996, he was upset that he might never become a father. Rowe, a longtime Jackson fan, proposed to bear his children. [8] In an interview with Playboy , Lisa Marie stated that at the time that she and Jackson were married, she knew that Rowe wanted to have his children and that Rowe had "a crush on him". [9]

Children and marriage

Michael Jackson with his three children Paris, Prince, and Blanket (the first two of which are the oldest and were born by Rowe), in Disneyland Resort Paris in 2006 Michael Jackson3 2006 (cropped version).jpg
Michael Jackson with his three children Paris, Prince, and Blanket (the first two of which are the oldest and were born by Rowe), in Disneyland Resort Paris in 2006

Rowe had suffered a miscarriage in 1996 which devastated her. Jackson consoled her throughout the ordeal, and it was announced Rowe was pregnant again in 1996; the two were married on November 15, 1996, in Sydney, Australia. [10]

Rowe had a son, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. [1] (born February 13, 1997, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles), [11] who was subsequently nicknamed Prince. [12] The next year, she gave birth to daughter Paris Jackson [1] on April 3, 1998, at Spaulding Pain Medical Clinic in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. [13] Jackson took full responsibility for raising the children. [8] [14]

Divorce

Rowe, who described herself as a private person and almost never gave interviews, was overwhelmed by the publicity that came with being married to Jackson. [8] The couple divorced in April 2000, and Rowe gave full custody rights of the children to Jackson. [15] Rowe received a US$8 million settlement and a house in Beverly Hills, California. [16] Court documents indicated she had signed a prenuptial agreement and therefore could not obtain an equal division of community property under California law. [17]

In 2001, Rowe went to a private judge to have her parental rights for the two children terminated. [16] In 2004, after Jackson was charged with 10 counts of child abuse, she went to court to have the decision reversed. [18] According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Rowe, who was a convert to Judaism, sought the reversal in part because she feared the nanny and some of Jackson's siblings were exposing the children to teachings of the Nation of Islam. [19] Court documents from 2005 noted that "[b]ecause she is Jewish, Deborah feared the children might be mistreated if Michael continued the association." [20] On the stand, in the 2005 People v. Jackson case, she explained that she had been granted limited visits to her children, for eight hours every 45 days. [21]

In 2005, Rowe sold her Beverly Hills house for $1.3 million and bought a ranch in Palmdale. [22] In 2006, she sued Jackson for one immediate payment of $195,000 and one payment of $50,000 to pursue a child custody case. [18] Jackson was ordered to pay her $60,000 in legal fees. [23]

After Jackson's death

Following Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, Rowe made statements through her attorney to deny a series of gossip reports, including reports that she was not the children's biological mother [24] [25] and that she was attempting to bargain her parental rights for money. [26]

In July 2009, she filed a lawsuit for defamation and invasion of privacy against a source who handed over alleged private e-mails to the television entertainment news program Extra , [27] and on March 3, 2010, she was successful in the defamation lawsuit. She was awarded $27,000 in damages, although she had sought $500,000. [28]

In August 2009, Rowe reached a settlement with Katherine Jackson, the children's guardian, under which Rowe has rights to supervised visitations. [29]

In April 2014, Rowe announced on Entertainment Tonight that she was engaged to music producer and former Neverland Ranch videographer Marc Schaffel, who worked with Jackson on his 9/11 charity single "What More Can I Give". Schaffel was the sole Jackson employee who was permitted access to visit Rowe following their divorce in 2000 and he assisted Rowe with her health problems. [30]

Health

In 2016, Rowe was diagnosed with breast cancer. [31]

Rowe was portrayed by April Telek in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story . [32]

Related Research Articles

Lilakoi Moon, known professionally as Lisa Bonet, is an American actress. She portrayed Denise Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), for which she earned widespread acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1986; she reprised the role of Denise in the first season of the spinoff series A Different World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrie Fisher</span> American actress and writer (1956–2016)

Carrie Frances Fisher was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the original Star Wars films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)—a posthumous release that was dedicated to her—and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), through the use of unreleased footage from The Force Awakens. Her other film credits include Shampoo (1975), The Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The 'Burbs (1989), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Soapdish (1991), and The Women (2008). She was nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performances in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock (2007) and the Channel 4 series Catastrophe (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeri Ryan</span> American actress

Jeri Lynn Ryan is an American actress best known for her role as the former Borg drone Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager (1997–2001), for which she was nominated four times for a Saturn Award and won in 2001. She reprised her role as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023), for which she won another Saturn Award.

Frances Bean Cobain is an American visual artist and model. She is the only child of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Hole frontwoman Courtney Love. She controls the publicity rights to her father's name and image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayim Bialik</span> American actress, television personality, and author (born 1975)

Mayim Chaya Bialik is an American actress, author and former game show host. From 1991 to 1995, she played the title character of the NBC sitcom Blossom. From 2010 to 2019, she played neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, for which she was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015 and 2017. Bialik shared hosting duties of Jeopardy! with Ken Jennings on a rotating basis between August 2021 and December 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Federline</span> American rapper and entertainer

Kevin Earl Federline,, also known as K-Fed, is an American dancer, actor and DJ. He is known for his two-year marriage to American singer Britney Spears, for whom he was previously a backup dancer, and the child custody battle that followed, which earned significant media coverage. His popularity led to him releasing his critically panned debut album Playing with Fire in 2006, which is commonly considered to be one of the worst albums ever released. He has since made a number of television and film appearances, and also worked as a DJ.

People v. Jackson was a 2005 criminal trial held in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California. The American pop singer Michael Jackson was charged with molesting Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged abuse, at his Neverland Ranch estate in Los Olivos, California.

Katherine Esther Jackson is the matriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers that includes her children Michael and Janet Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki Reed</span> American actress (born 1988)

Nicole Houston Reed is an American actress. She is known for her portrayal of Rosalie Hale in The Twilight Saga (2008–2012). Reed became known in 2003, after the release of the film Thirteen, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, for which she was credited with Hardwicke as a co-writer of the screenplay, and in which she played a lead role. The film earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance, as well as several nominations.

Marta Fran Kauffman is an American television writer and producer. She is best known as the co-creator of the NBC sitcom Friends with her longtime friend, David Crane; Crane and Kauffman similarly were in a friend group with four other people. Both Kauffman and Crane were also executive producers of the show, along with Kevin Bright. Kauffman and Crane produced Veronica's Closet and Jesse. From 2005 to 2006 she was an executive producer on Related. Both writers were the creators of the HBO series Dream On. Without Crane, she co-created the Netflix series Grace and Frankie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Fortensky</span> American construction worker; last husband of Elizabeth Taylor (1952–2016)

Larry Fortensky was an American construction worker known for being the last husband of actress Elizabeth Taylor. They were married in 1991 at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch and divorced five years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Gosselin</span> American television personality

Katie Irene "Kate" Gosselin is an American television personality. She appeared on the U.S. reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8, in which she and Jon Gosselin were profiled as they raised their atypical family of sextuplets and twins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health and appearance of Michael Jackson</span> Medical history of American celebrity

Michael Jackson was an American entertainer who spent over four decades in the public eye, first as a child star with the Jackson 5 and later as a solo artist. From the mid-1980s, Jackson's appearance began to change dramatically. The changes to his face triggered widespread speculation of extensive cosmetic surgery, and his skin tone became much lighter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Electra</span> American actress and model (born 1972)

Carmen Electra is an American actress, model, singer, and media personality. She began her career as a singer after moving to Minneapolis where she met Prince who produced her self-titled debut studio album, released in 1993. Electra began glamour modeling in 1996 with appearances in Playboy magazine, before relocating to Los Angeles, where she had her breakthrough portraying Lani McKenzie in the action drama series Baywatch (1997–1998).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Michael Jackson</span> 2009 death of American singer

On June 25, 2009, the American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 50. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said that he found Jackson in his bedroom at his North Carolwood Drive home in the Holmby Hills area of the city not breathing and with a weak pulse; he administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to no avail, and security called 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7). Paramedics treated Jackson at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood at 2:26 p.m.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Jackson</span> American model and musician (born 1998)

Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson is an American model, actress, and singer. She is the second child and only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal relationships of Michael Jackson</span> Overview of the personal relationships of Michael Jackson

The personal relationships of Michael Jackson have been the subject of public and media attention for several decades. He was introduced to the topic of sexual activity at the age of 9 while a member of the Jackson 5. He and his brothers would perform at strip clubs, sharing the bill with female strippers and drag queens, and the sexual adventures of his brothers with groupies further affected Jackson's early life. It was reported that his first girlfriend was actress Tatum O'Neal, when he was a teenager in the 1970s. However, Tatum O'Neal had stated that their relationship was strictly platonic. In recent years, singer and actress Stephanie Mills had revealed herself to be Jackson's first girlfriend, their relationship starting when they first met at the production of The Wiz. Jackson was then rumoured to have entered a platonic relationship with actress and model Brooke Shields in 1984. Shields later stated that they both held an equal admiration for each other, but that he started to become more asexual and distant towards her.

Stephen Michael Lachs is an American lawyer and retired judge. Lachs served as a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1979 to 1999. He was the first openly gay judge appointed in the United States and is thought to be the first openly gay judge appointed anywhere in the world.

Brooke Jaye Mueller is an American actress.

The Estate of Michael Jackson is a legal entity established following the death of American singer Michael Jackson in 2009 for the purpose of administering his property and overseeing his posthumous income. Jackson's last will was filed by the attorney John Branca at the Los Angeles County courthouse on July 1, 2009. Signed July 7, 2002, it names Branca and accountant John McClain as executors; they were confirmed as such by a Los Angeles judge on July 6, 2009. All assets are given to the (pre-existing) Michael Jackson Family Trust, the details of which have not been made public. The Associated Press reported that, in 2007, Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million: $567.6 million in assets, which included Neverland Ranch and his 50% share of Sony/ATV Music Publishing' catalogue, and debts of $331 million. The guardianship of his three children is given to his mother, Katherine, or if she is unable or unwilling, to singer Diana Ross. Jackson's will allocates 20% of his fortune as well as 20% of money made after death to unspecified charities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Birth certificates" (PDF). County of Los Angeles. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 10, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Debbie Rowe". Biography. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  3. ↑ Jones, Jel (April 21, 2010). Michael Jackson Rocked the World and Lives Forever. PublishAmerica. ISBN   9781456071745. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ "Debbie Rowe: I won't see Jackson's children again". The Sydney Morning Herald . June 29, 2009. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  5. ↑ Taraborrelli, J. Randy (August 1, 2004). Michael Jackson. Pan Macmillan UK. ISBN   9781743032145. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019– via Google Books.
  6. 1 2 Schneider, Karen S. (December 2, 1996). "What Friends Are for". People . Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  7. ↑ Entertainment: Jackson to divorce again Archived March 21, 2019, at the Wayback Machine , BBC, October 8, 1999
  8. 1 2 3 The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See
  9. ↑ "Complete Lisa Marie Presley Playboy Interview". Playboy. July 30, 2003. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION'S PRESS". Los Angeles Times . October 9, 1999.
  11. ↑ People – Manchild Has Boy Child Archived July 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine , Time, February 24, 1997
  12. ↑ "Last Will Of Michael Joseph Jackson". The Smoking Gun. Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  13. ↑ Debbie Rowe reaches out to Jackson family Archived February 24, 2020, at the Wayback Machine , MSNBC, June 30, 2009
  14. ↑ Living with Michael Jackson
  15. ↑ "Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's ex-wife and kids' mom, to testify". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Case Reopens Debate on Private Judges; Michael Jackson's clash with ex-wife heads for county court as officials seek to reform system. Archived November 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , Los Angeles Times (archive), September 6, 2006
  17. ↑ Bruce Simon, Michael Jackson Divorce Details Revealed Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , Yahoo Music news, October 8, 1999.
  18. 1 2 Michael Jackson sued by ex-wife Archived July 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , BBC News, July 13, 2006
  19. ↑ Jackson kids' Jewish mother could regain custody Archived July 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , Jewish Telegraphic Agency, June 28, 2009.
  20. ↑ Rowe seeks parental rights over Nation of Islam Archived July 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , Jewish Telegraphic Agency, July 3, 2009.
  21. ↑ Jacko's Ex Rowe: Interview Wasn't Scripted , Fox News, April 27, 2005
  22. ↑ Daly: Debbie Rowe continues to waffle on custody decision for Michael Jackson's kids Archived July 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , New York Daily News, July 2, 2009
  23. ↑ Jackson child custody fight ends Archived July 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , BBC News, September 30, 2006
  24. ↑ Lawyer: Debbie Rowe Is Biological Mom Archived July 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , US Weekly, June 30, 2009
  25. ↑ Debbie Rowe, Dermatologist Respond To Reports Over Michael Jackson's Children, but NBC New York, June 30, 2009
  26. ↑ Debbie Rowe Sics Her Lawyers on the New York Post over Report She Sold Her Kids Archived July 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine . Gawker.com (July 14, 2009). Retrieved on April 9, 2012.
  27. ↑ Goldman, Russell; Murphy, Eileen; Pearle, Lauren (July 17, 2009). "Debbie Rowe Files Suit Over Custody Rumors". ABC News . Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Debbie Rowe wins judgment in defamation case". USA Today . Associated Press. March 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Jackson mother 'agrees custody'". The Independent. July 31, 2009. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Debbie Rowe Engaged to Michael Jackson's Executive Producer Marc Schaffel—Check Out Her Ring!". E! Online. March 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  31. ↑ Respers France, Lisa (July 5, 2016). "Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's ex, has cancer". cnn.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  32. ↑ Fuchs, Cynthia (February 7, 2005). "Man in Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story". popmatters.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.