104+ Unbelievable Marilyn Monroe Quotes: You Absolutely Can’t Miss

Marilyn Monroe quotes show that one of the most recognizable names and faces in the world, Norma Jeane Mortenson – better known as Marilyn Monroe – knew a thing or two about life, love, and how to be happy, and she had a lot of credibility due to the life she led.

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer. Although the world lost her at the young age of 36, her legacy of films remain. In addition to her acting talents, Marilyn Monroe possessed depth and intelligence and she left us with some of the most profound life quotes and sayings of all time.

If you’re searching for the best sayings and images to share with the people you love or just want to feel inspired yourself… look no further! From Doctor Seuss quotes, Maya Angelou sayings, and Buddha quotes on life, we’ve got you covered.

Top 10 Marilyn Monroe Quotes

“We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.” – Marilyn Monroe

“Always, always, always believe in yourself. Because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie?” – Marilyn Monroe

“The nicest thing for me is sleep, then at least I can dream.” – Marilyn Monroe

inspiring quotes from marilyn monroe

“Be real, be yourself, be unique, be true, be honest, be humble, be happy.” – Marilyn Monroe

“It’s all make believe, isn’t it?” – Marilyn Monroe

“I am trying to find myself. Sometimes that’s not easy.” – Marilyn Monroe

best of marilyn monroe quotes and sayings

“Millions of people live their entire lives without finding themselves. But it is something I must do.” – Marilyn Monroe

“I don’t want to make money. I just want to be wonderful.” – Marilyn Monroe

most famous marilyn monroe quotes

“I don’t forgive people because I’m weak, I forgive them because I am strong enough to know people make mistakes.” – Marilyn Monroe

“Sometimes you just have to throw on a crown and remind them who they’re dealing with.” – Marilyn Monroe

Short Marilyn Monroe Inspirational Quotes

Marilyn Monroe was one of the greatest shining stars and ultimate symbols of beauty and femininity that the world has ever known. She was and still is the inspiration of many. Prepare to be surprised with you some inspirational, interesting and funny quotes by Marilyn Monroe:

  • “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never have got anywhere.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “We should all start to live before we get old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “You better believe when the conversation is getting shorter with you… it’s getting longer with someone else.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I’m a woman. That is the way all females should feel.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I live to succeed, not to please you or anyone else.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Always remember to smile and look up at what you got in life.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “A girl knows her limits but a wise girl knows she has none.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • famous marilyn monroe quotes
  • “Unfortunately, I am involved in a freedom ride protesting the loss of the minority rights belonging to the few remaining earthbound stars. All we demanded was our right to twinkle.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I restore myself when I’m alone. A career is born in public — talent in privacy.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I’m the type of person that tries to fall back asleep in the morning just to finish a dream.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “They think I’m crazy, but trust me… I’m 100% there.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “It’s better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone – so far.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • marilyn monroe quotes images
  • “I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night, there must be thousands of girls sitting alone dreaming of being a movie star. But I’m not going to worry about them. I’m dreaming the hardest.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “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! I didn’t want anything else, not men, not money, not love, but the ability to act.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I defy gravity.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I’ve been asked, ‘Do you mind living in a man’s world?’ I always answer, ‘Not as long as I can be a woman in it.’” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • marilyn monroe inspirational quotes
  • “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 that change the color of my eyes.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “I’m very definitely a woman and I enjoy it.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never got anywhere.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Dreaming about being an actress is more exciting than being one.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn’t that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.” ― Marilyn Monroe
  • “Everybody is always tugging at you. They’d all like a sort of chunk out of you. I don’t think they realize it, but it’s like ‘grrr do this, grr do that…’But you do want to stay intact and on two feet.” ― Marilyn Monroe

Best Marilyn Monroe Love Quotes

Wise words from a beautiful soul, Marilyn Monroe about love and relationship.

  • The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I’m already better than them. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I’m out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead, they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • It’s often just enough to be with someone. I don’t need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You’re not alone. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent.
  • 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 that change the color of my eyes. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself. ― Marilyn Monroe
  • I always felt insecure and in the way, but most of all I felt scared. I guess I wanted to love more than anything else in the world. — Marilyn Monroe
  • A girl doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her. — Marilyn Monroe
  • If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything. — Marilyn Monroe
  • Men who think that a woman’s past love affairs lessen her love for them are usually stupid and weak. — Marilyn Monroe
  • The truth is, I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let men sometimes fool themselves. — Marilyn Monroe
  • I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love. — Marilyn Monroe
  • I think that love and work are the only things that really happen to us. — Marilyn Monroe
  • Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him. — Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe Quotes About Life and Smile

“Keep smiling because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”
― Marilyn Monroe

“Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don’t have that?” ― Marilyn Monroe

marilyn monroe quotes about life

“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. Also remember, sisters, make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they’ll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them – actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can’t give up because if you give up, you’ll never find your soulmate. You’ll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“If there is only one thing in my life that I am proud of, it’s that I’ve never been a kept woman.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I think there’s two things in human beings… that they want to be alone, but they also want to be together.” ― Marilyn Monroe

marilyn monroe quotes smile

“Creativity has got to start with humanity and when you’re a human being, you feel, you suffer.” — Marilyn Monroe

“Sweetie, if you’re going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty.” — Marilyn Monroe

“For those who are poor in happiness, each time is a first time; happiness never becomes a habit.” — Marilyn Monroe

“Fame is like caviar, you know — it’s good to have caviar but not when you have it at every meal.” — Marilyn Monroe

“That’s the way you feel when you’re beaten inside. You don’t feel angry at those who’ve beaten you. You just feel ashamed.” — Marilyn Monroe

“It’s not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on.” — Marilyn Monroe

Famous Marilyn Monroe Sayings From Movies

“It’s not how long it takes, it’s who’s taking you.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I don’t care how rich he is, as long as he has a yacht, his own private railroad car, and his own toothpaste.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“A herring? Isn’t it amazing how they get those big fish into those little glass jars?” ― Marilyn Monroe

“It’s me, Sugar!” ― Marilyn Monroe

“If my mother could only see me now.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Don’t you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn’t marry a girl just because she’s pretty, but my goodness, doesn’t it help?” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I always say a kiss on the hand might feel very good, but a diamond tiara lasts forever.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Dorothy, please, a lady never admits her feet hurt.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I can be smart when it’s important.” ― Marilyn Monroe

(Talking about a tiara) “You DO wear it on your head. I just LOVE finding new places to wear diamonds.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Excuse me, but what is the way to Europe, France?” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I want you to find happiness and stop having fun.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“There was an old man named Sidney…Who drank till he ruined a kidney. It shriveled and shrank, but he drank and he drank…He had his fun doing it, didn’t he?” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Rachmaninoff…It isn’t fair…Every time I hear it, I go to pieces…It shakes me, it quakes me. It makes me feel goose-pimply all over. I don’t know where I am or who I am or what I’m doing. Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop!” ― Marilyn Monroe

“When it gets hot like this, you know what I do? I keep my undies in the icebox!” ― Marilyn Monroe

“I think it’s just elegant to have an imagination. I just have no imagination at all. I have lots of other things, but I have no imagination.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Hey, did you ever try dunking a potato chip in champagne? It’s real crazy!” ― Marilyn Monroe

“A stairway to nowhere! I think that’s just elegant.” ― Marilyn Monroe

“You sure have strong thumbs!” ― Marilyn Monroe

“Hi. It’s me, don’t you remember? The tomato from upstairs.” ― Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe Quotes About Real Beauty and Self Love

Sadly, people didn’t give Marilyn Monroe the credit she deserved for her intelligence; she was FAR from the dumb blonde she played in a lot of her movies, yet that was her most common role. She spent a lot of her time making sure young girls — and women who didn’t have the same hourglass shape as her — knew how important inner beauty and intelligence were. Also, read best Beauty and The Beast Quotes, too.

  • “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “To all the girls that think you’re ugly because you’re not a size 0, you’re the beautiful one. It’s society who’s ugly.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “A smile is the best makeup a girl can wear.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • marilyn monroe quotes about beauty
  • “Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, but loose enough to show you’re a lady.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “Always be yourself, retain individuality, listen to the truest part of yourself.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn’t catch their eye, they won’t bother to read what’s inside.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “I don’t mind being burdened with being glamorous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and can’t be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won’t like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it’s based on femininity.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they’re pretty, even if they aren’t.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “A girl should be like a butterfly. Pretty to see, hard to catch.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “Be real, be yourself, be unique, be true, be honest, be humble, be happy.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • “To all the girls who think you’re fat because you’re not a size zero. You’re the beautiful one. It’s society who’s ugly.” — Marilyn Monroe

If you are looking for inspiration, Bob Marley quotes continue to inspire and enlighten for ages. And if you are looking for a laugh, then Robin Williams quotes make us smile with his poignant statements.

Some Facts About Marilyn Monroe

How old was Marilyn Monroe when she died?

36 years old (in 1962)

What was Marilyn Monroe’s real name?

Norma Jeane Mortenson

What was Marilyn Monroe’s favorite food?

She used to love steak.

Who did Marilyn Monroe marry?

Arthur Miller m. 1956–1961
Joe DiMaggio m. 1954–1955
James Dougherty m. 1942–1946

What Marilyn Monroe said about Hollywood?

“Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.”

About the Author

Deniz Yalım is the founder and visionary behind BayArt, a platform renowned for its deeply resonant and inspirational content focusing on love, relationship, happiness, success and motivation. With a background rich in literature, psychology, and communication, Deniz has dedicated their career to the art of using words to inspire and empower. Passionate about the transformative power of language, Deniz has skillfully curated BayArt to be a platform for those seeking wisdom and guidance in the realms of love and life. Their writings not only reflect a deep understanding of human emotions and relationships but also aim to ignite change and encourage positive thinking. Through BayArt, Deniz Yalım continues to touch lives, offering solace, motivation, and a sense of connectedness to a global community.