Marilyn Monroe is undoubtedly at the front of our minds after the release of controversial Netflix film Blonde, a fictional retelling of the starlet's life.
The internet has pointed out a rather trippy connection that the late star has with another woman in our thoughts right now, none other than Queen Elizabeth II. Many have found it really difficult to wrap their minds around the fact that the two women were born in the same year: 1926.
It feels like two worlds colliding, in a way. And we're into the internet's obsession with it.
Ana de Armas stars as Marilyn Monroe in the streaming service's first 18+ rated film.
One tweet about this new fascination reads: “Idk why but Marilyn Monroe and the Queen in my head seem to be from two different eras but the fact they were born the same year is so wild”.
Another Twitter user posted: “Amazing to think that Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth were born only a month apart”.
More than that, the pair actually met – which is even more of a collision of worlds – in 1956, when Marilyn was invited to the Royal Command Performance in London's Leicester Square.
According to Michelle Morgan, author of When Marilyn Met The Queen, the late monarch became quite taken with the star and her films after meeting her. When they met, they reportedly chatted about “being neighbours” and “the Queen's beloved Windsor.”
"After the Royal Command Performance, the Queen became fascinated with Marilyn and watched every one of her movies," Morgan wrote. And that wasn't all Queen Liz observed.
"She apparently told the friend, 'I thought Miss Monroe was a very sweet person. But I felt sorry for her, because she was so nervous that she had licked all of her lipstick off.'
"Footage of the event seems to back this up, since Marilyn can be seen licking her lips as she waited for the royal gusts to reach her."
We don't blame her; meeting royalty is definitely a good a time as any to be nervous!
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Marilyn's representation in Netflix's Blonde has been met with criticism, with many calling the film exploitative and sensationalist. It follows the novel of the same name, written by author Joyce Carol Oates, which is a re-imagining of the star's life.
Many have argued that the film creates confusion as to what actually happened in Marilyn's life, and diluting or insulting her memory. Blonde's plotlines include a disturbing scene of a foetus talking to Marilyn from her uterus before she miscarries, as well as a rape scene that was not confirmed to have happened in real life.
Blonde's director Andrew Dominik has spoken out about the criticism, unapologetic for the impact it has had and the potential problematic elements of the film.
“It’s a demanding movie,” he said in an interview with ScreenDaily. "If the audience doesn’t like it, that’s the f**king audience’s problem. It’s not running for public office."
