Aysegul Ekinci was one of the first reporters that saw the final images of Michael Jackson

Emotional confessions from MJ’s closest friend Kenny Ortega

AE: You worked closely for long years. You were his business partner, coreographer, confidant. Did he lose weight during the rehearsals of ‘This it it’?

Kenny Ortega: You are one of the few people who saw this movie for the first time in the world. You tell me Aysegul, does he look like he lost weight? Not at all. He was always skinny, with thin bones. A man who dances so perfectly cannot be expected to be at my weight right? He was at his ideal weight. He controlled his weight very well.

AE: Do they always want to make MJ look fragile? Easily controlled by others?

Kenny Ortega: Who? Those who don’t really know him. Those who couldn’t get what they wanted from him. He is a real legend. I hope no one expects this to be by chance? Underneath that fragile appearance he was a very determined man.

AE: Back to This is It rehearsals. You were together at the rehearsals. Did you see anything different in his health? Psychology?

Kenny Ortega: He was really getting ready for a show that would make people say ‘This is It’. He was very dynamic. As for his psychology. He was excited. But we all were. It’s not easy to be around him and not to be excited.

AE: How would MJ react to this movie if he were alive? Would he approve it?

Kenny Ortega: I’m sure Michael would have loved the movie if he saw it. And he would have been happy like children when he saw how his friends had his back.