The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures marked what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday on June 1 with a gala and its new exhibition, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon, attended by Inde Navarrette, Megan Lawless, and more.
When the lights came up at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. the room wasn’t just celebrating a legend—it was marking a date that would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday. On Sunday, June 1, the museum hosted a centennial celebration featuring a gala alongside its new exhibition, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon.
The exhibition, created for the celebration’s spotlight, brings together hundreds of original objects. Visitors can see posters, portraits, photographs, production documents, letters, and rarely seen personal materials. Many of those personal items will be on display for the first time. with the exhibition framed around her agency in becoming a Hollywood icon.
Costumes take center stage in the display. The exhibition includes an extensive showcase of Monroe’s screen-worn outfits. including a dress featured in Love Happy (1949) and items from her final and unfinished film. Something’s Got to Give (1962). Among the major highlights are two costumes by Orry-Kelly from Some Like it Hot (1959). and the rarely exhibited famous pink dress by William Travilla from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).
That blend of memorabilia and wardrobe power pulled a wide crowd into the event. Obsession breakout stars Inde Navarrette and Megan Lawless were in attendance, along with Dita Von Teese and January Jones.
The guest list also included Behati Prinsloo, George Kotsiopoulos, Ashley Madekwe, Barrett Foa, Carmella Rose, Chelsey Crisp, and Darren Kennedy. Michael Urie, Holly Madison, Ginta Lapi?a, and Heather Marks attended as well. Others present included Kate Flannery. Laura Bell Bundy. Loretta Devine. Michael Feinstein. Peri Gilpin. Sharon Lawrence. and Zuri Hall. among many others.
The celebration added another layer to the night’s focus: Monroe’s legacy wasn’t confined to the museum galleries. It carried into the gala itself, where the people arriving for the centennial were as much part of the modern spotlight as the objects displayed inside.
Marilyn Monroe Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Hollywood Icon Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon exhibition centennial celebration gala Inde Navarrette Megan Lawless Obsession Dita Von Teese January Jones Behati Prinsloo