Marilyn Monroe

Norma Jean Baker, or Marilyn Monroe as she is better known, made a hugely successful career out of her good looks and uncanny ability to understand what the world wanted to see. Despite her ditzy blonde image and demeanour, Norma Jean knew exactly what she was doing and it's no coincidence that she became as famous as she did. Not content to let leading men hog the spotlight, she took extensive acting lessons to improve herself, because in her opinion Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.