Marilyn Monroe

1926–1962 · American actress, model & cultural icon

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson) was one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars, famous for films such as Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Because her image is a magnet for feel-good and empowerment slogans, she is among the internet’s most heavily misquoted figures — her documented interviews and writings (collected in Fragments, 2010) contain nothing resembling this line.

Traced to source

3 quotes we’ve traced to Marilyn Monroe

“A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself”

Disputed

“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best”

Disputed

“To all the girls that think you're fat because you're not a size zero, you're the beautiful one. It's society who's ugly”

Disputed

Not actually Marilyn Monroe

Often misattributed to Marilyn Monroe

Famous lines widely pinned on Marilyn Monroe that we’ve traced to someone else.

“A sex symbol is a heavy load to carry when one is tired, hurt and bewildered”

actually Clara Bow

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world”

actually Bette Midler

“Well-behaved women rarely make history”

actually Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

On the research bench

Commonly pinned on Marilyn Monroe — under review

2 lines flagged as pinned on Marilyn Monroe and queued for a full source trace — not yet verified.

“But suppose the child inherited my beauty and your brains?”

Disputed

“Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.”

Disputed

Did they really say it?

Thought Marilyn Monroe said something else?

Type a quote you think Marilyn Monroe said — we’ll tell you what we know, or point you to the best sources.