Marilyn Monroe

Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right.

In Hollywood a girl's virtue is much less important than her hairdo. You're judged by how you look, not by what you are. Hollywood's a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for kiss, and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty.

My illusions didn't have anything to do with being a fine actress. I knew how third rate I was. I could actually feel my lack of talent, as if it were cheap clothes I was wearing inside. But, my God, how I wanted to learn, to change, to improve!

When you have only a single dream it is more than likely to come true - because you keep working toward it without getting mixed up.

I'm trying to find myself as a person, sometimes that's not easy to do. Millions of people live their entire lives without finding themselves. But it is something I must do. The best way for me to find myself as a person is to prove to myself that I am an actress.

A career is a wonderful thing, but you can't snuggle up to it at night.

The only thing a star asks is to be allowed to twinkle.

I had to use my wits or else I'd have been sunk - and nothings going to sink me. Everyone was always pulling at me, tugging at me, as if they wanted a piece of me. It was always, 'do this, do that,' and not just on the job but off, too. God, I've tried to stay intact, whole.

I would have told her then she was the only thing that I could love in this dying world but the simple word "love" itself already died and went away.

When you're young and healthy you can plan on Monday to commit suicide, and by Wednesday you're laughing again.

I could never pretend something I didn't feel. I could never make love if I didn't love, and if I loved I could no more hide the fact than change the color of my eyes.

I wanted to ask a thousand questions, but there was no one to ask. Besides I knew that people only told lies to children-lies about everything from soup to Santa Claus.

All a girl really wants is for one guy to prove to her that they are not all the same.

This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them.

You never know what life is like, until you have lived it.

She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important—you know

I'm for the individual as opposed to the corporation. The way it is the individual is the underdog, and with all the things a corporation has going for them the individual comes out banged on her head. The artist is nothing. It's really tragic.

If I play a stupid girl and ask a stupid question, I've got to follow it through. What am I supposed to do, look intelligent?

I love to do the things the censors won't pass.