Entertainment
There are 5 Common Misconceptions About Marilyn Monroe
There is no doubt that Marilyn Monroe is one of the most well-known celebrities in history. The Golden Age actress made a significant impact during her short career by having her work referenced in everything from “Moulin Rouge” to “Ru Paul’s Drag Race.”
There is a tendency for mythmaking when you enjoy such great notoriety. Marilyn Monroe has been reduced to a caricature, her most iconic looks have come to define her entire image, however, her legacy has been misunderstood in many ways.
The following are five things people tend to get wrong about Marilyn Monroe.
1. Her name was Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was not the first name that California native Norma Jeane Mortenson was known by. Norma Jeane Baker was her mother’s name at her baptism. Norma Jeane Dougherty was the name she wore until she married a neighbor at age 16 and changed her name to Norma Jeane Dougherty.
2. She was a natural blonde
Similar to other stars of the time, Monroe’s platinum blonde locks were a result of a bottle birth. For women who wanted to make a name for themselves in the 1940s film industry, the blonde was deemed the most versatile color. Marilyn Monroe, a curly-haired brunette who joined her first modeling agency, was determined to get noticed. She began lightening her hair in the mid-1940s and became hooked.
3. She was discovered while babysitting
With a new name and hairstyle, the next step for the aspiring actress was to craft a good origin story. The publicists at 20th Century Fox portrayed Monroe as an orphan who was discovered while babysitting for a Fox talent scout.
Monroe fought for her opportunities and was eager to learn about the film industry. In the words of Sarah Churchwell, the author of “The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe,” “Marilyn was not waiting for powerful men to find her. She was knocking on the studio’s door. She was doing everything she could to get into the movie business.”
4. She gained fame easily
but it did not come easy to Marilyn Monroe. Women were expected to have beauty and talent in the male-dominated film industry, and actors needed a contract with the ‘Big Five’ — Warner Brothers, RKO, MGM, Paramount, or 20th Century Fox — to succeed.
Monroe struggled to land a long-term contract. In 1951, she signed a seven-year contract with Fox after landing small roles with 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures. Although she missed out on immediate success on-screen, she made up for it with a tenacious understanding of her audience off-screen.
5. She had no control over her sexuality
If anyone knew this, it was Monroe. In spite of her frustration at being reduced to a mere sex symbol by the press and film executives, Monroe understood the power her unique sexuality could bring. She was repeatedly typecast into roles meant to look great on screen but little else, but she refused to accept a one-sided transaction.
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