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Entertainment

Marilyn Monroe Said ‘Imperfection Is Beauty’ — Here Are 32 Photos That Prove Her Right

By Ashley Lall

Marilyn Monroe is known today as the most famous sex symbol of the 1950s and 60s — perhaps of all time. Her life and career as an actress, in many ways, has defined American culture from that time period until today. 

Marilyn was often misunderstood, and she had a lot to say about the typical way of doing things. She didn’t subscribe to the previously held notions about sexuality and didn’t let anyone in Hollywood boss her around. The press criticized her, the industry ridiculed her, and through it all, she came out strong and made a name for herself. She may have been diva-ish at times and a bit of a perfectionist, but this starlet broke ceilings and cultural stereotypes in a way that changed Hollywood forever. 

Today, Marilyn is still an icon in pop-culture and an inspiration to women everywhere. She was an ambitious woman in a world that told her that nothing about her mattered besides the way she looked. She arduously pursued her passion despite industry leaders putting her down and paying her unfairly. Best of all, she maintained her composure through it all. Marilyn Monroe was beautiful, bold, and the world will never forget her — the photos below show us exactly why.

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  1. Getty Images
    Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortensen on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles to Gladys Pearl Baker and absent father (whose identity is unknown). Because her mother struggled with her mental health, Norma was put into foster care until age 7.

  3. Getty Images
    Norma had a pleasant and stable childhood with her foster family, and it’s said that her mother often visited her. 

  5. When she was 7, her mother bought a house in Hollywood and, feeling stable enough, decided to take Norma back to live with her. However, her mother fell into mental crisis shortly after, and custody of Norma was given to the state of CA.  Glady's friend Grace was given custody, but she married two years later and sent Norma to an orphanage where she stayed for two years. Many families showed interest in adopting her, but her mother would not sign the papers.

  6. Getty Images
    Norma ended up back with Grace, but when she was 16, Grace and her husband decided to move again, and this time without Norma. In order to keep her from going back into foster care, she married her boyfriend at the time, Jim Dougherty. 

  7. Getty Images
    By 1946, things with Norma and Jim weren’t working out and they got divorced, but Marilyn continued to grow her interest in acting and modeling. 

  9. Getty Images
    That year, she met a photographer and began her career in pin-up modeling, but she really wanted to act. 

  10. Getty Images
    She was certainly getting used to being in front of the camera, and soon after she was offered her first short-term contract with 20th Century Fox, and later, Columbia pictures.

  11. Getty Images
    One producer over at Fox decided on the stage name, “Marilyn Monroe.” It’s also said that the folks over at Columbia wanted to model her after Rita Hayworth, dying her hair that signature platinum blonde. Though Marilyn always looked up to another blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow. 

  13. Getty Images
    She took a few small roles in minor films, and eventually was offered her first long-term contract with Fox.

  14. Getty Images
    She kept herself busy and worked on her craft, taking ballet classes...

  15. Getty Images
    And voice lessons…

  17. Getty Images
    She also fine-tuned her acting skills with her mentor, German actor and coach Natasha Lytess.

  18. Getty Images
    In 1948, Marilyn landed her first starring role in the move Ladies of the Chorus — it was also the first film in which she danced and sang. 

  19. Getty Images
    Between 1951 and 1953, Marilyn became a popular actress starring in films like Monkey Business and Don’t Bother to Knock. 

  21. Getty Images
    Eventually, her face — and body — were on posters and billboards everywhere.

  22. Getty Images
    She once even faced a scandal because of a nude photo shoot she did before she became famous, but after opening up about it in an interview people saw why she did it and loved her even more. 

  23. Getty Images
    Not only did the news not tarnish her career — it drew more attention to her, and she was even more sought-after than ever before.

  25. Getty Images
    By 1953, she was the face of Hollywood, staring in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and How to Marry a Millionaire, comedies which cast her as a “dumb blonde” archetype. 

  26. Getty Images
    The same year, she was asked to pose for the cover and centerfold of the first issue of Playboy.

  27. Since her contract with Fox had not been revised since she signed it, Marilyn was now being underpaid in the industry compared to other actors. This frustrated her, and she grew annoyed with always being typecast.

  29. Marilyn took herself seriously as an actress, and she wanted to star in more serious roles. However, Darryl Zanuck from Fox disliked Marilyn and did not think she would earn as much revenue in dramas.

  30. Getty Images
    After refusing a role in the film The Girl in Pink Tights alongside Frank Sinatra, Marilyn was suspended from 20th Century Fox. Her suspension didn’t end until March of 1954, when she received a settlement from the studio including a starring role in the new film, The Seven Year Itch. The famous photo shown above was shot during the filming. 

  31. Getty Images
    Also that year, Marilyn married Joe Dimaggio, a retired baseball player from the New York Yankees whom she had been dating since about 1952. It’s said that Dimaggio was a very jealous man, which led to Marilyn filing for divorce a short nine months later.

  33. Getty Images
    In 1955, The Seven Year Itch was released and was a great success in the box office. The following years were very successful for Marilyn’s career. Eventually she left Hollywood and headed for the East Coast to start her own production company with photographer and friend Milton Greene. The company was called Marilyn Monroe Productions (MMP). In a press conference, Marilyn said she was, “tired of the same old sex roles. I want to do better things. People have scope, you know."

  34. Getty Images
    Though she was ridiculed, she continued to work, attending workshops and pursuing acting lessons. By the end of the year, Fox offered Marilyn a new seven-year contract that met both her monetary and creative demands — and she accepted. Her strong will was a notable characteristic, and as she said herself, "A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none."

  35. Getty Images
    During this time, she began a relationship with a playwright, Arthur Miller. They married in 1956 and she converted to Judaism, at which time Egypt banned all of her films.

  37. Getty Images
    Also in 1956, Marilyn starred in the first movie under her new contract, the drama film Bus Stop. The critical acclaim she received finally dispelled the view that she was just a “dumb blonde” actress. 

  38. Getty Images
    In 1956, Marilyn was nominated for her first Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress in Comedy or Musical for her starring role in Bus Stop. She went on to receive many other nominations through out her career, and she eventually won for Best Motion Picture Actress in Comedy or Musical for her starring role in Some Like it Hot.

  39. Getty Images
    Unfortunately, it was well known that Marilyn struggled with her mental health throughout her career. She battled depression, anxiety, and substance abuse issues for much of her life. In 1962, she passed away from an overdose at just 32-years-old.

  40. Getty Images
    Though her life was short, the effect she had on the world lasted for generations to come. Many don’t think of the untimely and unfortunate death of Marilyn Monroe when they hear her name.

  41. Getty Images
    Instead, we see an image of her beautiful bright smile, knock-out bod, eyes full of wonder, fabulous blonde hair — and of course, that strong, ferocious will! 

  42. Marilyn Quote

    Getty Images
    As Marilyn herself said, “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
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