Since he first appeared on the scene as part of the Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, there has never been a time in which Michael Jackson hasn’t been world-famous. At the height of his fame, Michael Jackson was probably the most famous person in the world, beloved on every continent.

Yet he left behind one of the most bizarre legacies of any man in history, from a being one of the best-selling artists of all time to child molestation charges, a horrible addiction to plastic surgery, and legendary tabloid headlines that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality. Even in death – the Thriller singer died a decade ago, in 2009 – MJ is still one of the most famous pop stars on the planet. There were many fascinating things about his life which made his more interesting.

Let’s explore some interesting facts about Michel Jackson.

1. Born to a Boxer
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. His father, Joseph Jackson, was a boxer, steelworker, and a guitarist but to provide for his family, he worked as a crane operator. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah’s Witness, but also worked part-time at a departmental store. He had a big family with 3 sisters and 5 brothers.

2. He Wanted to be Spider-Man
All of us have fantasized about possessing superpowers, but for most of us, these are just idle daydreams. Michael Jackson was a little more serious about his obsession. In the late ’90s, he tried to purchase Marvel Comics, which had filed for bankruptcy. His dream was to produce a Spider-Man movie starring himself. Unfortunately for Michael, this venture failed, and the role of Spider-Man went to Tobey Maguire and film finally came together.

3. Pepsi changed Michael’s face!
After signing a $5 million deal with Pepsi-Cola, he got severely injured while filming a commercial for them. It caused burns to his face and scalp. When his injuries were getting addressed, he began experimenting with plastic surgery.

4. Police found pictures of naked children and animal torture at Neverland Ranch
In 2003, Jackson’s Neverland Ranch was raided after the singer was again accused of child sexual abuse. At Neverland, officers found adult heterosexual pornography, pictures of animal torture and photography books containing images of nude or semi-clothed children. Most damningly of all, Jackson’s pornography collection was shown to be covered in the fingerprints of both himself and his underage accusers – supporting the prosecution’s claim that Jackson had shown pornography to the accusers in an attempt to groom them.

5. Marriage
MJ’s 1st marriage with Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley in 1994 lasted for only 19 months. Later, he had his 2nd marriage in 1996, with Deborah Jeanne Rowe and had 2 kids, Michael Joseph Jackson Junior and a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. This marriage also ended in 1999.

6. The greatest entertainer of all time
Michael Jackson’s name has been etched in the history of entertainment as one of the greatest entertainers of all time. His contributions to music, dance, and fashion, have made him a global figure in popular culture.

7. Jackson was also a patented inventor
He’s the most awarded artist of all time, with the best-selling album and the most expensive music video. There’s one more string that we can add to Jackson’s bow: inventor. In the 1988 video for Smooth Criminal, Jackson and his backing dancers are seen leaning forward in a seemingly impossible 45-degree tilt. It’s true that the move is indeed impossible for the human body – at least without some added support. In order to pull off the move, Jackson along with his team had to invent a new type of shoe that would allow him to ‘cheat’ gravity. Jackson patented the design.

8. He was such an animal enthusiast that he bought his own zoo
As a child, Jackson was an animal lover, with a particular affinity for German Shepherds and a pet rat, named Ben, who he wrote his first ever song about. At Neverland Ranch, Jackson had his own private zoo, complete with orangutans, giraffes, llamas, flamingos and an elephant.

9. He made $2 billion in his lifetime and blew it all
Despite making $1.1 billion – or $2 billion, adjusted for inflation – in his lifetime, Jackson was such a big spender that he burned through it all. At the end of his life, Jackson, despite his enormous earnings, had around $350 million worth of debt to his name.

10. He was raised a Jehovah’s Witness
Michael, like all the Jackson children, were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses after their mother, Katherine, converted to the religion in 1963. Surprisingly, even after their relocation to California, the Jacksons including Michael continued to knock on doors in their neighbourhood to ‘spread the word of Jehovah’.