Despite living an all-too-brief life, Marilyn Monroe overcame her tragic childhood to become the world's most famous face and an enduring cultural icon. | Life Stories

Have you ever heard Marilyn Monroe’s real voice? We all remember that soft, breathy charm from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire—but that wasn’t how she truly spoke. In this rare 1960 interview with Georges Belmont, recorded while she was filming Let’s Make Love, Marilyn speaks in her natural voice—calm, thoughtful, and unmistakably real. Yesterday, we celebrated what would have been her 99th birthday. Hard to believe she’d be turning 100 next year. Time passes, but Marilyn