> MONROE, REMEMBERED AND PORTRAYED

Melinda Mason is such a super fan of Marilyn Monroe that she was married in Las Vegas in 2010 on Monroe’s birthday, June 1, with two Marilyn impersonators as bridesmaids.

The Fergus, Ont., resident has seen Sunny Thompson in Marilyn: Forever Blonde, now in its eighth year, in the U.S. and declares, “Sunny has the mannerisms down, she really nails it.”

Thompson’s performance “is what it would really be like to hear Marilyn talk. She looks like her as well,” Mason says.

Thompson is just one of many actresses who’ve portrayed the legendary film star. Here are a few others.

Michelle Williams won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the actress in the 2011 movie My Week With Marilyn.

Canadian Charlotte Sullivan was Monroe in the 2011 TV miniseries The Kennedys.

Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd both portrayed Monroe in the 1996 TV movie Norma Jean & Marilyn, Judd as the pre-fame Marilyn known as Norma Jean Dougherty and Sorvino as the established actress.

Catherine Hicks starred in the 1982 TV movie Marilyn: The Untold Story.

Poppy Montgomery was Norma Jean/Marilyn in the 2001 TV miniseries Blonde.

Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain is to star as the bombshell in the 2016 movie Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name. Marilyn: Forever Blonde is at the Elgin Theatre, Wednesday to Sunday. Go to ticketmaster.ca for tickets. Trish Crawford