In the classic film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell played a pair of mismatched best friends who were as different as night and day. Marilyn's character, Lorelei Lee, was a platinum blonde, baby-voiced gold digger on the prowl for a wealthy husband. Meanwhile, Jane Russell's character, Dorothy Shaw, was a brunette with a sharp wit and a weakness for handsome men. Despite their contrasting appearances and attitudes toward love, these two screen sirens remained loyal to each other throughout the entire film, creating a bond that captivated audiences worldwide.
A Warm Bond Behind the Scenes
What many people don't know is that Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell formed a warm and genuine friendship while filming this 1953 blockbuster. They shared a strong work ethic and discovered common ground in their personal histories. Jane affectionately referred to Marilyn as "Baby Doll" and "Blondie" on set, describing her as "very shy and very sweet." She also praised Marilyn's intelligence, noting that the world underestimated her capabilities. "She was like a little sister to me," Jane fondly recalled.
Long Before the Cameras Rolled
Their relationship didn't start on the set of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Jane Russell first met Marilyn Monroe when her then-husband, Jim Dougherty, introduced them. "Marilyn's first husband, Jim, went to high school with me," Jane explained. She was part of the drama club with James Dougherty, Marilyn's spouse from 1942 to 1946. "One day he came by and said, 'I want you to meet my wife.'" That's when Jane met a young brunette known as Norma Jeane. "She was a pretty girl," Jane remembered fondly.
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A Collaboration Built on Mutual Respect
Choreographer Jack Cole understood that neither Jane nor Marilyn was a professional dancer. To accommodate their styles, he crafted dance routines that complemented each of their unique talents. Author Christina Rice, who penned Mean…Moody…Magnificent!: Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend, shared with Closer that Jane was deeply impressed by Marilyn's dedication. "Jane worked hard, too — but at the end of the day, she went home to her husband and family, while Marilyn would stick around rehearsing," Rice noted. This dedication was just one of the many reasons Jane respected her younger co-star.
At the time, Jane Russell was the more established star, earning $200,000 for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, while Marilyn, who initially didn't even have her own dressing room, was paid a modest $500 a week. However, Marilyn saw this disparity as motivation rather than discouragement. "They always kept saying, 'Remember, you're not a star,'" Marilyn recounted. "I said, 'Well, whatever I am, I am the blonde … and it is Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.'"
Jane's Support for Marilyn
Jane Russell was not only a professional colleague but also a compassionate friend. She noticed Marilyn's nerves and offered her support. "It was only her second starring role," Jane explained. "She'd be so frightened with nerves she'd sit trembling in her dressing room." To help calm Marilyn, Jane would knock on her dressing room door and encourage her to join her on set. "I'd say, 'Come on, Baby, let's go,' and we'd trot off together," Jane remembered fondly.
Some might have viewed Marilyn as a rival, but Jane saw her as a kindred spirit. "Jane was pretty grounded, self-possessed, and very comfortable in her own skin. She was never threatened by Marilyn," Rice explained. In fact, Jane empathized deeply with Marilyn's difficult past. "She never knew her father, her mother was in a mental institution, and Marilyn had been in foster care," Jane said. "I think she'd had some terrible experiences, and she wanted to get away from her background."
Shared Beliefs and Differences
Jane tried to help Marilyn by inviting her to the Hollywood Christian Group, a Bible study that met at her home. "Religion was something they had in common," Rice said. Marilyn's foster family had been Baptist, while her mother followed Christian Science. Although Marilyn attended one meeting, it wasn't quite her cup of tea. "Jane tried to convert me," Marilyn later joked, "and I tried to introduce her to Freud."
Tackling the Media Hype
The press often tried to pit the two actresses against each other, but Jane and Marilyn refused to play along. "Both of them were like, 'Come on, we are not doing that,'" Rice said. They actively supported each other and combatted any fabricated rivalry stories from the start. Their mutual respect and camaraderie were evident both on and off screen.
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A Lasting Legacy
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes premiered in July 1953 and became an instant hit. Critics raved, calling Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe "nothing short of sensational." This film marked a turning point in Marilyn's career, finally granting her the success and recognition she had long sought. "The people made me a star," Marilyn later reflected. "No studio, no person [decided that], but the people did."
Though their paths diverged after the film wrapped, their affection for each other never waned. "We considered ourselves friends, but Marilyn kind of went from one group to another," Jane explained. Nonetheless, she sent Marilyn a heartfelt letter after her second divorce. Jane also wrote in her memoir, My Path and My Detours, that Marilyn was on her mind during a girls' weekend shortly before hearing of her death. "I wished I had [Marilyn's] phone number because I knew she belonged there, where we were all laughing about our problems," Jane wrote.
