Lindsay Lohan Among the Latest To Channel Marilyn Monroe – Hollywood’s Favorite Photoshoot Cliche

Is taking a modern day celeb and having them pose as Marilyn Monroe Hollywood’s favorite cliche? Stop. Please stop. The photos from inside Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy shoot are now out there, and apparently that’s what has been done again.  For the complete pics, with the naughty bits obscured, visit TheBestWeekEver. (Or just click here.)

The first thing celebrities and their stylists and photo editors should remember is, it’s very hard to do justice to an icon.  The second – for those celebrities who pine for a Marilynesque level of stardom, remember that Monroe’s story did not have a happy ending.

Channeling Monroe has become a bit tired. Unless you’re playing her in a film, (as Michelle Williams and other actresses have) it often disappoints. Or, simply seems, well… cliche.

Lohan has actually done her version of Marilyn Monroe before, recreating a gauzy Marilyn Monroe photo shoot that was originally shot in 1962 by photographer Bert Stern. The series came to be known as “The Last Sitting.” Lohan’s recreation of these photos were featured in 2008 in New York Magazine.

 Check out the 2008 photos from New York Magazine.

Both tragic and ironic, Anna Nicole Smith often seemed to channel Marilyn Monroe. Eventually becoming famous for her own personal struggles with addiction, Smith died in 2007.

Monroe wasn’t necessarily the first to pose with  sultry, lowered eyelids – but her iconic photos have practically given her the right to call them a trademark. They’ve become a posing staple for actresses and models alike.

It’s no secret that Madonna was a fan of Monroe. She replicated her looks both on the red carpet and in her videos.

There are some actresses whose personalities, accompanied by good looks, seem a good fit for a Marilyn-esque shoot. Scarlett Johansson holds her own as a Marilyn type…largely because it doesn’t necessarily try too hard to perfectly replicate an existing photo – but instead harken back to the days of Hollywood glamour.

…But there’s something about Paris Hilton that doesn’t hit the mark and ends up looking Halloween-y. This was actually from an event promoting one of her fragrances.

When a star does pose as Marilyn, there are some that will immediately dismiss it. It’s understandable. Ultimately, Marilyn wasn’t just about beauty and sexuality, but and underlying purity of heart and innocence. It’s that depth and vulnerability that we know of now, that almost instantly renders the attempts of others to replicate her fruitless.

Ironically, while many may have been reluctant to embrace Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe (again, noting that Monroe’s look was so distinct and difficult to capture,) she is getting rave reviews for her performance in the film “My Week With Marilyn.” Not solely for her look, but for the depth she brings to the role. A clip from the film is below. It also makes a world of difference to channel Marilyn for a dramatic film performance over a red carpet photo op. Some clips of the film below show that Williams approached the character with reverence and determination.

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