06/01/2026
100 years ago today, one of the most iconic screen presences who ever lived was born. Marilyn Monroe has served as an idea for so long - what comes to mind when people think of celebrity, womanhood, mid-century sexuality, the relentlessness of media, and so much more - that it’s easy to forget, underneath it all, she was a normal woman with a normal desire to live in peace and who was happy to joke about the outrageousness of her fame.
Marilyn didn’t give too many in-depth and meaningful interviews in her lifetime, but in this radio interview from the mid 1950s, she discusses the popular conception of herself as a “dumb blonde” and her desire to retire in Brooklyn one day when she was done with acting.
Happy 100th birthday to a woman who changed cinema forever, Ms. Marilyn Monroe. What’s your favorite movie starring this legend? Let us know in the comments below!