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Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1st, 1926 BOTD. The Hollywood star whose legacy continues to captivate the world. While much has been written about her life, few people are aware of her personal and heartfelt connection to Mexico — a country that played a surprisingly meaningful role in her story.
A Mexican Heritage
Marilyn Monroe’s mother, Gladys Pearl Baker, was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, in 1902, after her family emigrated from the US to Mexico where her grandfather found employment with the Mexican railway. Though Monroe was born and raised in the United States, her maternal roots gave her a quiet but real link to Mexico.
A Country She Loved
Monroe visited Mexico several times during her life, often escaping the pressures of fame for the warmth, privacy, and cultural richness she found there. She was a frequent visitor to Mexico during the 1950s and early 1960s, both for leisure, legal matters, and personal shopping. In particular, she was known to frequent the shops in Toluca, where she purchased handmade furnishings, pottery, and textiles.
Marilyn Monroe eating tacos in Mexico City, 1962.
A Mexican-Style home
In 1962, shortly before her death, Monroe purchased her first and only home in Brentwood, California. She furnished the residence almost entirely with Mexican decor — rustic furniture, Talavera tiles, and traditional pottery. She once told a friend she wanted her home to be “a place of peace,” and it was clear that Mexican design and sensibility gave her comfort.
Love and the Golden Globes
At the 1962 Golden Globe Awards, Monroe appeared on the arm of Mexican screenwriter José Bolaños. Their brief relationship became a point of fascination for the press. Bolaños accompanied her during what would become one of her last public appearances, adding another thread to her Mexican ties. Though their romance was short-lived, it symbolized a broader affinity that Monroe felt toward Mexican culture and people.
A Legacy with Cross-Border Echoes
More than six decades after her passing, Monroe remains a symbol of beauty, vulnerability, and timeless charisma. On what would have been her birthday, it’s worth remembering not just the Hollywood legend, but the woman who felt a deep, enduring connection to Mexico — through heritage, love, travel, and personal taste.
Marilyn Monroe in Mexico City
Marilyn Monroe also visited Puerto Peñasco in Sonora with Joe DiMaggio. She visited Acapulco, Taxco, and Toluca (where she purchased a now-famous wool sweater). She finalized her divorce from Arthur Miller in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. She also visited the set of Luis Buñuel’s El Ángel Exterminador and spent time at Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City. According to declassified CIA files, she reportedly met with communist-leaning friends while in Mexico. Marilyn Monroe visited an orphanage, showing a more personal and compassionate side that was often overshadowed by her Hollywood image.
I haven’t written in detail about this yet — but I plan to next year, for a special post marking what would have been her 100th birthday. Her deep and varied connection to Mexico definitely deserves a spotlight.
