“What was previously perceived as nerdy is now viewed as original. What I like about nerdiness, geekiness, is it doesn’t really matter what you’re into – it just means you’re not a follower.” Happy birthday, Kristen Bell!
The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star turns 32 today. Let’s hope it’s full of sloths!
Inspiring musicians, actors, artists, and most everyone else for a half century after her death, join us as we celebrate Marilyn Monroe for the month of June!
Born Norma Jean Baker at the Los Angeles County Hospital on June 1st, 1926, Marilyn faced a tumultuous childhood, which included becoming a ward of the state and being placed into foster care. One of the most legendary sex symbols and recognizable actresses of all time, she actually began her career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early film appearances were minor, but her performances (and appearance) in both The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve drew attention to her.
Photos via thegloss and weheartit.
It was shortly after these films that her “dumb blonde persona” was developed. Audiences loved her breathy bombshell approach, however she began to find that she was limited by typecasting, and studied at the Actors Studio to broaden her range. The director of Bus Stop, the first film for which Marilyn received critical acclaim, stated “I found Marilyn to be one of the great talents of all time… she struck me as being a much brighter person than I had ever imagined, and I think that was the first time I learned that intelligence and, yes, brilliance have nothing to do with education.”
Photos via zumaworld and quizz.
Hollywood is celebrating what would have been the star’s 86th birthday with a weeklong film festival at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Grauman’s is also holding a Look-A-Like Contest, with the first 200 impersonators receiving free admission. 10% of the festival passes purchased will go to Hollygrove, the orphanage where Marilyn spent her childhood. What’s your favorite Marilyn Monroe movie?
“Do your thing and don’t care if they like it.” Fiercely intelligent and wildly funny, today we wish Tina Fey a very happy birthday!
Photo via Vantiy Fair.
Fashion icon, movie star and muse, Audrey Hepburn was an amazing woman with an incredible life and career. Long after her passing she remains one of the world’s most recognizable and emulated stars. In celebration of her birthday today, let’s look at some of the events that shaped her into one of the most the most famous people in the world.
Photo via Imdb.com
Growing up during World War 2, she suffered from malnutrition, though that didn’t keep her from dancing. Having trained to be a ballerina since she was a small child, it was one of the ways she could raise money for the resistance and it set the bar for her humanitarian work later in life. After the war she moved to London, where she got a job as a chorus girl and continued to study ballet. She starred in several British films and became something of a sensation after her turn as Gigi in the 1951 play.
Photo via Imdb.com
Her next film, Roman Holiday, won her an Academy Award and set her on the path to superstardom. She was in several more movies before landing the role of a lifetime playing Holly Golightly, in an adaptation of the Truman Capote story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The role that spawned thousands of post cards, posters, and other ephemera and inspired countless young women wasn’t even supposed to be Audrey’s in the first place. Originally, Capote wanted Marilyn for the role. It’s hard to imagine the impact that would have had on pop culture as we know it today, if it were Marilyn’s portrait instead of Audrey Hepburn’s sold at Ikea. The little black dress she wore at the beginning, designed by lifelong friend, Hubert Givenchy, has been called one of the most influential pieces of clothing in the 20th century.
Photo via Imdb.com
After several more pictures (including My Fair Lady) Audrey Hepburn became one of the few entertainers to win Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards. As time went on, she focused less on her film career and more on her role as a UNICEF ambassador, dedicating the rest of her life to helping impoverished children in other nations.
Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the most recognizable actresses on TV, Christina Hendricks! Starting her career as a model at 18, she made numerous guest appearances on TV series like Firefly, before making it big as Mad Men’s pragmatic office manager, Joan Holloway.
Photo via Imdb.com.
Her signature hourglass silhouette has reinvigorated the appreciation for curvy women in Hollywood, and she has been labeled the “new modern ideal Hollywood glamour—full figured, voluptuous; a throwback to the days of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Veronica Lake”. British designer Vivienne Westwood, chose Hendricks to be the face of her 2011 jewelry line, calling her “the embodiment of beauty”.
Photo via Instyle.com
Christina takes a different approach to the attention, stating, “It just seemed so odd as people had never commented on my body before. Every woman obsesses over her figure, but I was happy, I felt sexy – I never thought about it. I know this sounds naive, but I honestly never expected this kind of attention.” With SAG Awards, Emmy nominations and other accolades pouring in, it seems as though people are paying attention to her hard work and her fabulous looks. Fun fact: Christina is not a natural redhead. She’s a blonde and has been dying her hair since the age of 10! She went red because she always loved Anne of Green Gables.
