Paris Jackson talks about acting ambition

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LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Paris Jackson says her American pop icon dad Michael encouraged her desire to be an actress as she was growing up.

Michael Jackson died in 2009 at age 50. His personal physician is serving four years in prison for involuntary manslaughter for administering lethal amounts of sedatives and anesthesia to the elder Jackson in an effort to help him sleep.

His only daughter, now 13, talked about her famous father during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to air Thursday, People.com said.

"My dad was in the movie 'Moonwalker,' and I knew he could sing really well but I didn't know he could act. I saw that and I said, 'Wow, I want to be just like him,'" said Paris, who will appear in the upcoming fantasy movie "Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys."

"We would do improv together," she added. "He would give us little scenarios. He would go, 'OK, in this scene you're going to cry,' and I'd cry on the spot."

Paris has two brothers, Prince Michael and Blanket. All three children, who were rarely seen in public when the recording star was alive, are now being raised by their paternal grandmother.