The article reflects on Marilyn Monroe’s final months in 1962 through the lens of a nude swimming pool photoshoot taken by photographer Lawrence Schiller during the filming of 'Something’s Got to Give'.

Far from the long-standing image of Monroe as a passive Hollywood “blond bombshell”, the piece highlights how she actively shaped and controlled her visual representation.

Schiller recalls how Monroe engaged playfully and intelligently with the camera, even directing moments of the shoot herself and later editing negatives she did not like, physically cutting them into pieces.This behaviour is presented as evidence of her strong creative agency at a time when she was often portrayed as unstable or overwhelmed by fame.The article situates the shoot within a turbulent period in Monroe’s life.

She was dealing with health problems, including surgery and psychiatric treatment, as well as increasing dependence on prescription drugs and alcohol.

Professionally, she was struggling with punctuality and pressure from Twentieth Century Fox, which was simultaneously facing financial strain from expensive productions.

Despite these difficulties, Monroe is depicted as strategically aware of her public image and determined to use photography to her advantage, even considering how certain images might compete with other Hollywood figures of the era.

Schiller reflects on his personal connection with Monroe, describing her as witty, self-aware, and capable of shifting between vulnerability and control.

He also recalls his final encounters with her shortly before her death in August 1962, emphasising her fragility and the sense of an impending tragedy.

The article ultimately reframes Monroe not as a passive subject of celebrity culture, but as an active participant who understood and manipulated the photographic image to assert control over how she was seen, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape her myth.