7 facts from the biography of Marilyn Monroe that speak of a good reason that ruined her life. And this is low self-esteem (8 photos)

A flirtatious blonde in a flowing dress, a sweet laugher from old films, a sweet-voiced seductress who sang the birthday song to John Kennedy himself. Marilyn Monroe was remembered in various ways, she was adored by her contemporaries and remembered by her descendants. But almost no one knew the real her. Despite her incredible success, the shy and insecure girl Norma Jeane always lived inside the brilliant Marilyn Monroe.





We studied her biography and saw 7 facts that indicate that this uncertainty and the fact that those around her knew and understood her so little greatly influenced the actress’s life, and perhaps to some extent destroyed her.

1. Marilyn didn’t know her father, and her mother gave her to a foster family.



Marilyn, or rather Norma, as the actress was called before her career, was the third daughter of film editor Gladys Baker, but her father remained unknown. The girl practically did not know her mother; soon after birth she was sent to a foster family, where several children were already being raised. Gladys took the baby only for the weekend, and then, when she considered that she could already support her, she took her in permanently. But soon after this, Gladys was given a disappointing diagnosis of “paranoid schizophrenia” and was sent to a hospital. Before she had time to find her mother, Marilyn immediately lost her. Until the end of her life, Gladys had virtually no contact with her daughter, and until she came of age, she had to live either in a foster family, or with family friends, or in an orphanage.

For the first time, the girl thought about a career as an actress precisely because the world around her was not too friendly towards her.

“When I was 5 years old, I think that’s when I wanted to become an actress. I loved to play. I didn't like the world around me because it was a little dark, but I loved playing at home. My guardians sent me to the cinema to get me out of the house, where I sat all day and all night. The world on the screen is so big, and I was a small child, completely alone. That’s how I fell in love with cinema,” the actress shared.

2. The first time she got married very young, her second marriage did not stand the test of popularity, and the third did not bring happiness either.



At the age of 16, Marilyn fell in love with a guy older than her and, in order to be able to move with him to another state, she married him and dropped out of school. She later said that the first marriage was rather bland and that she and her husband spoke very little to each other. A year after the wedding, her husband began working in the merchant navy, and she herself went to an aircraft factory

It was this job that turned out to be fateful, because there she was noticed by a photographer who offered her a job as a model. The girl agreed, her career began to develop very quickly, soon followed by an acting contract, a change in appearance, a new name and... a divorce from her husband, who did not accept the new way of life and condemned him.

Much later, a similar situation would happen with Marilyn’s second husband, baseball star Joe DiMaggio. The athlete was prone to strong outbursts of jealousy, which did not go well with the fact that he was married to the most famous blonde. The husband divorced Marilyn after one episode of the film. He saw that she had starred in a promotional video for the film “The Seven Year Itch,” where she stood on a grate and held up a flowing dress. Or rather, these famous shots turned out to be the last straw for the jealous spouse. This advertising shoot lasted several hours and attracted a huge crowd of onlookers. And their marriage soon ended.

Marilyn's third marriage, to director Arthur Miller, also ended in divorce. According to rumors, this was facilitated by the director’s creative crisis; he felt financially dependent on his wife, and Marilyn considered herself unworthy to be his muse.

3. All her life she hid mental disorders under a bright smile



Marilyn improved her appearance, but along with her new beauty, she seemed to lose herself. To make the forehead appear higher, the hairline was raised using a special electrolysis procedure. The hair was bleached to a platinum shade, the malocclusion was corrected, a silicone prosthesis was implanted into the jaw, and the shape of the nose was adjusted.

She became a beauty, but still continued to be ashamed of herself. The wife of Marilyn's personal photographer and close friend Milton Greene said:

“She suffered from dyslexia and a stutter worse than anyone could have imagined. Throughout her life she suffered from nightmares, which contributed to her fasting.chronic insomnia. She had bipolar disorder and frequent “breaks from reality.” And that's not counting the fact that she suffered terrible pain during menstruation due to endometriosis. Rashes, chronic colitis, abdominal pain and nausea - she overcame physical discomfort in addition to the well-known problems of her childhood. Mother in a mental hospital; the father she never knew; constant movement between foster families and orphanages. And then there were different medications that she took to cope with the pressure of Hollywood: to calm down or get energy."

Nevertheless, Monroe discovered the ability to transform herself, which delighted everyone who knew her. Just a minute ago she was an inconspicuous woman in gray clothes, but now her smile attracted and hypnotized all the people around. And this chameleon effect really spoke of his innate acting talent.

4. The actress struggled with stage fright and was sometimes embarrassed by her star status



But stage fright always remained with her, since by nature she was a very shy person. Even when Monroe was already famous, but was taking acting courses, she behaved as modestly as possible in student circles. This is how Sam Kashner described it in the book “Marilyn and Her Monsters”:

“She was always late for classes, usually arriving before the doors to the classroom were locked. The teacher strictly ensured that no one entered the class in the middle of the stage. Slipping inside without makeup, her hair shiny under a scarf, she tried not to draw attention to herself. She usually occupied a place in the back of one of the dark rooms of the Malin Studios on 46th Street, in the heart of the theater district. When she raised her hand to speak, it was a weak and quiet voice. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, but it was hard for the other students not to notice that the most famous movie star in the world was in their acting class."

Even when Marilyn was already very popular, she received little money in Hollywood. This happened because she signed a long contract, which did not imply an increase in fees, she was given less attention than other stars of the same level, and she could not choose with whom to work and with whom not.

5. Marilyn really wanted to have children, but could not give birth.



Another reason for her uncertainty was that Marilyn really wanted to have children, but suffered from endometriosis and could not bear a child. She had three miscarriages, but the actress did not lose hope. The fourth pregnancy became the subject of rumors and discussions. Photographs dated 1960 have been preserved, where the star is depicted with a rounded belly. It was rumored that Marilyn was pregnant not from her then husband, director Arthur Miller, but from the famous singer Yves Montand. But what happened next and why she could not carry this pregnancy to term never became known.

6. She wanted to change her type several times during her career.



Monroe began to tire of the image of the frivolous blonde; at the height of her career, she felt that she could try herself in other, more serious, dramatic roles. But, of course, her rebellions led to scandals with studio executives who were not ready to let go of a profitable type. Conflicts went beyond Hollywood and leaked into the press.

Minor skirmishes regarding her role also occurred while working on films. For example, there is a well-known story when she starred in the film “The Prince and the Showgirl” together with the famous Laurence Olivier, who also acted as a producer. He didn’t take his partner seriously and made her terribly angry with his phrase: “All you have to do is be attractive!” Monroe told him that he had no respect for the actors and was too arrogant with them.

Her lateness for filming became a kind of revenge, but at the same time her problems with taking pills worsened.

Later, Marilyn even founded her own production studio, but the attempt was not very successful. She understood that to stay afloat in Hollywood, she needed to continue to be a dumb blonde and lower the bar of demands, not raise it.

7. What is Marilyn Monroe syndrome



Her whole life gave its name to a special term in psychology. Psychologists are trying to explain the human condition with Marilyn Monroe syndrome, when behind visible social success and well-being there is emptiness and loneliness. No such personwho does not try to know better, the light that he brings to people is enough, hiding his personal pain behind it.

It was first described in her book “Marilyn Monroe Syndrome” by Dr. Elizabeth McAvoy. Even before Marilyn died physically, she had already died of emptiness and loneliness, Elizabeth said. Behind all the glitter, the spotlight and the famous “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” which she so bravely sang for John Kennedy, stood a woman who had long been broken. She understood that happiness is what everyone expects to see in Hollywood films, and her reality is selfishness and deception.

But still, little Norma managed to give herself and the world the incredible Marilyn and live a bright life, where there was a place, albeit short-lived, for happiness, love and fame.

We were very touched by this side of the personality and life of this extraordinary actress. Do you like Marilyn Monroe?