“I sometimes felt I was hooked on sex; the way an alcoholic is on liquor or a junkie on dope. My body turned all these people on, like turning on an electric light, and there was barely anything human in it. Marilyn Monroe became a burden, a - what do you call it? - an albatross. People expected so much of me, I sometimes hate it. It was too much of a strain. I still feel that way. Marilyn Monroe has to look a certain way – be beautiful - and act a certain way, be talented. I wondered if I could live up to their expectations. There were times on The Misfits, in those emotional scenes, when I had a feeling I’d fail however hard I tried, and I didn’t want to go on-site in the morning. I was sorry that I wasn’t a waitress or a cleaning lady and free of people’s great demands. Sometimes it would be a great relief to be no longer famous. But we actors and actresses are such warriors, such – what is your word? – narcissus types. I sit in front of the mirror for hours looking for signs of age. I like old people; they have such qualities younger people don’t have. I want to grow old without facelifts. They take the life out of a face, the character. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I’ve made. Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age, to die young, but then you would never complete your life, would you? You never totally know yourself.” — Marilyn, from Conversations with Marilyn by W.J Weatherby.
