7 reasons why Marilyn Monroe was more than just a pretty face
Marilyn Monroe was one of the most beautiful actresses ever, but she was also much more than that. Seven key things about Marilyn Monroe made her who she was and shaped the woman the world loved and still idolizes today. Here are seven reasons why Marilyn Monroe was more than just a pretty face.
A girl born into nothing
Marilyn Monroe's life story is one of the most famous in Hollywood. Born in 1926, she grew up an orphan and lived with her grandmother and abusive aunt. At 16, she married James Dougherty and had two children. Her marriage fell apart when her husband started to abuse her. She divorced him in 1942 and moved to New York to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.
Though she had little education and no training, she studied hard to learn as much as possible about acting. She made her film debut in 1948, but her roles were minor. In 1949, however, she got a break and landed a minor part in The Asphalt Jungle. Though it would be years before she became famous, The Asphalt Jungle set off an incredible chain of events that led to her becoming one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Her breakout role came in 1950 when she starred in All About Eve. The film won Best Picture at that year's Academy Awards, and Monroe became a household name. In 1952, she starred in Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She received her first of three Golden Globe nominations for her work on that movie.
She appeared in another blockbuster in 1953, when she starred as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Over time, she became known for playing blond bombshells and her beautiful voice and acting ability. Some of her most famous roles include How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955) and Some Like It Hot (1959). Her relationship with singer Joe DiMaggio led to marriage in 1954, but it only lasted until 1957. That same year, she starred in The Prince and The Showgirl with Laurence Olivier. She received her third Golden Globe nomination for that movie.
2) Marilyn didn’t die lonely
Marilyn's life was far from perfect. Her mother, who had been an enormous influence in her life, died when she was just six years old. She then married young and divorced soon after. She never got to see her seven children grow up, either. And yet all of these things only make her story much more tragic and inspiring.
Even after her death, Monroe's legacy continues to live on. Her classic films continue to entertain people worldwide, and thousands flock to visit her final resting place in New Jersey every year. Some even say that her voice can still be heard on tapes recorded years ago. It might not matter if she's no longer alive, but knowing all of these things makes Marilyn's life and what she's contributed feel much more significant.
In honour of what would've been her 90th birthday on June 1, here are seven amazing facts about her that'll make you love and respect her all over again.
3) She made time for herself
The most common misconception about Marilyn is that she was an airhead who didn't know how to control her life. In reality, the woman knew how to take care of herself. She took time for herself and developed hobbies that were meaningful to her.
She loved animals so much that she wanted to be a vet. Sadly, this career goal never came true because of her modelling success. However, her love for animals is evident in the movie The Misfits when she says I'm not interested in being on the cover of any magazine unless there's also a monkey on it.
This shows that even though she had big dreams and goals for herself, she never forgot what mattered - family and friends.
She also loved art and dreamed of becoming an artist one day. At 16 years old, she attended art school for two months before she gave up because it meant too much time away from her family. Once again, she knew what was important to her and what mattered most.
4) She stood out at an early age
Marilyn Monroe stands as one of the most iconic figures in Hollywood history. From her early days as Norma Jean, she towered over the competition, literally and figuratively. Her beauty and charisma catapulted her to fame in a time when women were either silent or subservient. Though she became known for her beauty, she was more than just a pretty face.
She led a life filled with tragedy and heartbreak yet persevered. The men she loved took her for granted and tried to destroy her several times. She endured personal trauma by becoming an orphan at a young age, experienced emotional abuse from failed relationships, suffered physically abusive husbands and business partners, became addicted to drugs and alcohol to numb herself from pain and had surgery after botched plastic surgeries that left her in pain throughout her entire body. Throughout it, though, she remained strong-willed, confident in herself and proud of who she was. She didn’t allow anyone or anything to take away from what little joy life could bring her. That's not to say there weren't times when she felt like giving up. She made mistakes but kept pushing forward through each adversity until the day she died. With so much against her, some may find it hard to believe that she made such an impact on so many people around the world. However, nothing about this woman was ordinary - despite coming from humble beginnings.
5) Her beauty wasn’t the only thing she had going on
Marilyn Monroe is one of the most iconic Hollywood actresses ever to grace the silver screen. Her beauty wasn’t the only thing she had going on; these are seven reasons why Marilyn Monroe was much more than just a pretty face.
1. She started as an average girl with nothing going for her
2. She became one of the most desirable women in Hollywood
3. Despite her ups and downs, she always tried to be true to herself and never compromised her values
4. She became one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood
6) She worked hard to become her person
Marilyn Monroe had to fight for her success. She was fired from a film studio because they thought she couldn't act, and then she had to find work as an extra to make ends meet. But this didn't stop her; instead, it taught her the value of hard work.
Marilyn's career took off when she started posing for photographer Tom Kelley, who convinced her to change her hair colour from blonde to black so she could be taken seriously as a model. He also helped her get modelling jobs with several prominent fashion magazines, which led to more acting opportunities. At the height of her fame, Marilyn did things like write books and make films - even though she wasn't formally trained in either field!
After she became an actress, she didn't stick to playing sex symbols. She played roles as diverse as a madame in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and an undercover cop in The Asphalt Jungle. And at her peak, she had several movies in production - which is impressive considering how hard it is for modern-day actors to get even one project off the ground!
As you can see, working hard helped Marilyn become famous - but it also contributed to her mental health problems. You may have heard that she struggled with depression, anxiety and drug use. Her success made these issues worse.
7) She didn’t take life too seriously
She didn’t take life too seriously. With all the pressures of being in the spotlight, she could have easily lost her sense of self. Instead, she laughed and lived life to the fullest by making mistakes and having fun. She embraced her imperfections and used them to help create an iconic persona that will never be forgotten.
She always kept a positive outlook on life. Her mantra to be happy is one we can all use as inspiration today. She saw beauty in everything, even in people that weren’t necessarily conventionally attractive. She believed everyone had something beautiful about them, which made her take time out of her busy schedule to get to know them intimately. That's what led her to fall for many of her famous beaus, such as Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller.
She worked hard but also played hard: She is often remembered for how effortlessly glamorous she looked in photos and movie stills, but she wasn't always camera ready. She spent hours each day trying to perfect her signature look!
Conclusion
Marilyn Monroe is an icon, and while she might be known for her beauty, she's also remembered for her talent. Her legacy lives on today in the form of many things: books, movies, and now a Broadway musical. While she may not have been perfect, it's hard to deny that there are so many great things about her.
Because of her legacy, we're able to appreciate Marilyn Monroe for more than just her appearance. While she may be remembered as one of Hollywood's great beauties, she also broke down gender and racial barriers and helped advance societal equality. The iconic blonde bombshell became an inspiration for countless women who looked up to her self-assured attitude and powerful persona. Despite suffering from many personal problems, Marilyn Monroe worked hard to overcome them to become successful, proving that anyone can make it if they have enough determination. Her life story serves as a reminder that things don't always go according to plan, but with hard work, you can achieve your goals anyway.