Paris Jackson Hopes to Be ‘Just Like’ Her Father Michael Jackson

Paris Jackson is stepping out from the shadows and ready to follow in the footsteps of her late father, Michael Jackson. The young daughter of the late King of Pop has already signed on for her first movie role in 'Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys,' set to begin filming after the holidays, and this week, she makes her first solo interview debut on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'

"I love acting," the 13-year-old Jackson told DeGeneres [quotes via Us Weekly]. "When I was really little, my Dad was in the movie 'Moonwalker.' 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.'"

In the interview on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' which airs today (Dec. 15), Jackson revealed that she and her father would frequently do "improv together." "He would give us little scenarios," she explained. "He would go 'OK, in this scene, you're going to cry.' And I'd cry on the spot!"

Jackson knew from many of her father's ways that he was always looking out for her and her two brothers, Prince and Blanket, including the questionable masks he would make all three children wear in public. "I'm like, 'This is stupid, why am I wearing a mask?'" she said in the interview. "But I kind of realized the older I got, like, he only tried to protect us. And he'd explain that to us, too."

Jackson says she has a "regular childhood" now where she attends a private school in California. "I'm treated the same," she said of her new surroundings. "When I came to [my school], they didn't know who I was. I was like, 'Yes ... I have a chance to be normal.'"

While he may be gone in the flesh, Jackson knows her father is still close by and holds on to the precious advice he so often gave her. "He said, if I die tomorrow always remember what I told you," she said softly. "I took his advice and I remembered everything he told me."

Tune into 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' today, Dec. 15 to see Jackson's interview in its entirety. Click here to see when the show airs in your area.