Hundreds of Marilyn Monroe impersonators gathered in London today to mark what would have been the iconic actress's 100th birthday. The event, organised by the British Film Institute and the Marilyn Monroe Society, saw participants dressed in the star's signature white dress and red lipstick parade through Leicester Square before a screening of 'Some Like It Hot' at the BFI Southbank.
The celebration underscores Monroe's enduring global appeal, but also highlights a paradox. Monroe was quintessentially American, yet her most famous film was directed by Billy Wilder, a Jewish Austrian emigre who found refuge and artistic freedom in Britain and the United States. The BFI's choice to host the event in London reflects Monroe's status as a transnational symbol of glamour and vulnerability.
Dr. Ellen Thompson, a cultural historian at the University of Oxford, noted: 'Monroe's image has been appropriated by British popular culture for decades. From Marilyn-inspired advertising for British beer to stage musicals, her legacy is as much a part of British heritage as it is American.'
The event also featured a competition for the best Monroe impression, won by 34-year-old baker Clare Jenkins from Birmingham. 'It's about embodying her spirit, not just the look,' Jenkins said. 'She represents a kind of feminine power that still resonates.'
The day's festivities included a walking tour of Monroe's London haunts, including the Ritz Hotel where she stayed during her 1956 marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. The couple spent part of their honeymoon in England, a period Monroe described as 'the happiest of my life.'
Critics argue that the British claim to Monroe is tenuous at best. 'She visited Britain twice,' remarked American journalist Mark Stevens. 'That hardly makes her part of British cultural heritage.' Yet the BFI's programming director, James Bell, defended the event: 'Monroe's films were global phenomena. British audiences embraced her as one of their own.'
The celebration comes amid broader debates about cultural appropriation and heritage. As Britain seeks to redefine its post-Brexit identity, events like this serve as a reminder of the soft power wielded through shared cultural icons. Monroe, for all her Americanness, has become a staple of British nostalgia.
Whether this appropriation is justified or not, the event's success suggests that British cultural institutions remain adept at claiming global icons as their own. The 100th birthday tribute was not just about Monroe but about Britain's enduring role as a curator of international star power.
