6 Times Elle Fanning Channeled Hollywood Icon Marilyn Monroe

Elle Fanning has grown up famous — which means we've seen her stunning transformation over the years in real time. But one thing that has always remained the same about the "Margot's Got Money Troubles" star, from her youth until today, is her love of one legendary Hollywood starlet — Marilyn Monroe. Fanning has been emulating Marilyn Monroe's beauty, fashion, and confidence ever since she was a young child.

In a chat with Interview Magazine in April 2014, Fanning revealed that she became an instant fan of Monroe at age 7 after first seeing a picture of her. "I didn't know that she was such a big icon," Fanning told the outlet. "But I would just look at her and I was mesmerized. She was beautiful and so ... truthful. She's not faking it." Fanning seems to take after her, often showing off her exuberant smile and classic beauty while walking the red carpet.

Who can think of Marilyn Monroe without picturing her in the iconic white dress? Elle Fanning wore a similar dress and a blonde wig with short curls when she was a child for the Children Affected by AIDS Dream Halloween event on October 30, 2004. 

Fanning even went as far as to hold up both sides of the dress to resemble Monroe with the wind from the air vent blowing up her skirts. Plus, the red lipstick and beauty mark dotted on one cheek completes the perfect imitation of Monroe.

At the screening of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2019, Elle Fanning donned a large black hat over her blonde hair, which was slightly curled and styled to her chin just like Marilyn Monroe famously wore her hair. 

At one point, Fanning turned to give the cameras a look just like Monroe did for her 1952 film, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Even when posing for pictures, their resemblance is uncanny!

Elle Fanning loves Marilyn Monroe so much, she once wore the star's face on her outfit! Fanning showed up all decked out like Monroe in an April 2019 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." 

She wore a button-down shirt and skirt over a black shirt, featuring zoomed-in pictures of Monroe's face (and her iconic red lipstick, of course). 

Elle Fanning's "The Tonight Show" appearance wasn't the first time she wore an outfit covered in Marilyn Monroe's face. At the InStyle Awards on October 23, 2017, Fanning wore a skin-tight Versace dress featuring a reproduction of the famous, rainbow-hued Andy Warhol images of Monroe's face. 

She looked gorgeous and confident in red carpet photos, posing with her hands on her hips to show off her iconic 'fit and matching heels. In an interview with People, she explained, "This was kind of a no-brainer, I must say ... It has Marilyn Monroe on it and I'm obsessed with her."

On June 1, 2022, Elle Fanning honored what would have been Marilyn Monroe's 96^th birthday by posting a sweet tribute to her on Instagram. "It's Marilyn Monroe's birthday. I threw this wig on by coincidence today, not realizing the date ... MY FOREVER ICON 💋" she captioned the post. 

In the accompanying selfies, Fanning wore a wavy blonde bob wig with red lipstick, as she posed with her hand resting on her chin in some and on her shoulder in the other. She absolutely nailed the look.

As recently as December 2025, Elle Fanning was still dressing like Marilyn Monroe, putting a more modern spin on the classic Hollywood starlet's style. 

In this picture, taken at the Gotham Awards on December 1, Fanning wore a white, halter top dress open at the back and cinched at the waist, with her blonde hair down around her shoulders and red lipstick on. She resembles Monroe when the actress wore a similar-looking gown at the premiere of her 1960 movie, "Let's Make Love."