Act Like Marilyn Monroe
Norma Jean was an undoubtedly naturally beautiful girl. However, the iconic Marilyn look that we all know so well was the result of the very hard work. She researched the work of Jean Harlow and Lana Turner and that is where she got her makeup and hair style. She dedicated hours practicing her body language and facial expressions in front of the mirror every single day. Taking after this icon is no easy task. But you can always try by following these steps.
Steps
- Carefully study her facial expressions. Marilyn Monroe image is not just makeup and hair. If you carefully would study her facial expressions on every picture, you would notice how kind and open she looked. Also, if you look at her pictures and ask yourself how do they make you feel, you will probably find that her facial expressions evoke feelings of love and warmth. You almost want to hug and kiss her when you look at her pictures.
- Spend hours practicing. At the beginning of her career, Marilyn Monroe dedicated hours in front of the mirror carefully practicing her body language and facial expressions. She looked for and found that perfect image that everybody liked and still likes. If you want to even come close to how this actress acted, do the same. Practice, practice, and practice. Take a picture of her and put in front of you. Stand in front of the mirror and try to copy the exact same facial expression as on the picture. Do that with as many pictures as you can and until you are satisfied with your results.
- Watch her videos. Try to find as many interviews with her on YouTube or wherever as possible. If you really want to act like MM, then make it your daily routine to watch her interviews at least twice a day. But do not just watch it. Pay close attention to her facial movements. Ask yourself: "How does her eyebrows move? her lips, her eyes?" Practice smiling like her. When watching you will notice that whenever she laughed she tended to tilt her head up a little bit, so the teeth will be seen. Her eyebrows would always be slightly raised while her eyelids would be slightly down, so her eyes are half open.
- Practice her movements in front of the mirror. Just like you practiced her facial expressions, trying to mimic her expression on the picture, do the same thing, but in motion. Marilyn Monroe was not only picture perfect. She was always perfect, when she talked, when she walked, when she smiled, always. So when you watch her interview, pause it and try to repeat what she just said with the exact same body movements and facial expressions as she just did in her interview. Try it until you reach perfection.
- What would Marilyn do? Wherever you are, make it your priority to always think what Marilyn Monroe would do and how she would react to certain events happening to you in the moment, whether you are buying an ice cream, getting out of the car, being late somewhere or meeting an old friend or a new person. Of course, you have never met Marilyn personally and do not know how would she act if she were you, but you can gain some of this knowledge by doing step number 3 and also, by watching as many of her movies and as many times as possible.
- Always check yourself in the mirror. No matter if you are a teenager or an adult, you probably already have a certain behavioral style. As your day goes, you might forget about Marilyn and her expressions and her movements and that you are supposed to act like her. Well, do not forget about that. If you are passionate about acting like her, then constantly remind yourself to make that face and check in the mirror if the desirable expression comes out good. If not, then practice.
- Learn from mistakes of others. You are not the first person in the world trying to act like Marilyn. Many many stars have tried to channel her (Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Lindsay Lohan), but miserably failed. Even other stars are inspired by her like Anna Nicole Smith, Courtney Stodden, Mariah Carey and more. And they look beautiful. Try to see why. They all had incredibly talented makeup artists, stylist, and photographers to make them look like her. They still could not manage it. Why? They lacked the most important thing: her feminine softness and kindness. Take one picture of Marilyn and one picture of the trying star and see what's wrong. You will see that it is the facial expression.
- Be charming. Marilyn was simply charming. She was described as a kind, affectionate and sympathetic person who hated to see anyone hurt. She was also described as a sexual magnet, who evoked the desire and passion. To do that, you should change your mindset. If you are always stressed, nervous, unhappy, you won't be able to act like her, simply because she never acted like any of those things. She always looked exact opposite-- relaxed, enjoying and happy--even in her hardest days. She was a great actress for not ever letting her feelings show. You can try to do the same. Each time you are irritated with something or stressed, remind yourself that you should act like Marilyn Monroe and make that angelic face that she always had on. Again, look in the mirror and see if it comes out right.
- Look like her. If you want to learn how see here.
Tips
- Trying to be like someone else is not an easy task. it is actually really hard. Only hard work and dedication will get you there. It took Marilyn herself years to develop her legendary image.
- Read Marilyn's biography. There you will find some tips and also would know what she did to become what she was.
- Research the work of Michele Williams, the only star to date who managed to act like Marilyn in the movie "My Week With Marilyn". Research how she managed it. there are videos on YouTube about it.
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