Brooke Shields shares personal memories of Michael Jackson at memorial

Actress Brooke Shields paid a tearful tribute to Michael Jackson at his public memorial at Los Angeles’ Staples Center this afternoon (July 7).

The actress, who dated Jackson as a teenager, said, despite the media coining them an 'odd couple', that they had, "one of the most natural and easiest friendships".

"We had a bond, and maybe it was because we both understood what it was like to be in the spotlight at a very young age," Shields said.

The actress shared personal memories of the pair's past, saying he tried in vain to teach her the Moonwalk, and that when he started wearing his famous sequin glove she teased him.

"When he started wearing the glove I was like, 'What's up with the glove?' If you're going to hold my hand, it better be with the non-gloved one because sequins hurt me, they dig in."

Shields then went on to read a passage from the book 'The Little Prince'.

Her tribute followed an instrumental performance of 'Human Nature' by John Mayer.

Click to see a gallery of images from the memorial here.

Watch live coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial here:

Free Webcam Chat at Ustream

--By our New York staff.
Find out more about NME.