'The Public Scares Me': Marilyn Monroe Recalls Being Pushed By Crowd After a Major Operation — As She Revealed Tragic Side of Fame in Final Interview Before Death
Marilyn Monroe reflected on the dark side of fame during one of her final interviews before her death in 1962.
June 1 2026, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Marilyn Monroe once revealed the shocking physical toll fame took on her body, recalling how an eager crowd of fans caused a surgical wound to reopen after she left the hospital, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The bombshell actress made the candid admission during one of her final interviews, just days before her tragic death in August 1962.
Fame Came At A Cost
The Hollywood icon compared celebrity to 'too much caviar' as she discussed life in the spotlight.
Monroe opened up about her complicated relationship with celebrity during a conversation with Life magazine editor Richard Meryman in the summer of 1962.
While discussing the realities of life in the spotlight, the actress compared fame to an indulgence that eventually loses its appeal.
"It's like caviar," she said. "It's good to have caviar, but if you had it every damn day, you know? Too much caviar."
Though adored by millions around the world, Monroe admitted there were moments when the attention became overwhelming.
'My Side Opened Up'
Monroe revealed fans swarmed her after gallbladder surgery while leaving a New York hospital.
One memory stood out above the rest.
The actress recalled leaving a New York hospital after undergoing gallbladder surgery in 1961 when crowds of fans rushed toward her.
"The time I came out of the hospital in New York, that was a little rough because I had just had a gallbladder operation, and the crowds were pushing and my side opened up," Monroe said.
'People Want To See That You're Real'
Despite the ordeal, Monroe said she realized people simply wanted proof that she was 'real.'
Rather than blaming fans, Monroe said the experience taught her something about celebrity culture.
"I realized that people want to see that you're real," she explained.
The comment reflected a recurring theme throughout the interview, as Monroe spoke about feeling misunderstood by the public despite being one of the most photographed women in the world.
"I never felt I had an effect on people until I was in Korea [in 1954]. There would be 75,000 men sitting in their parkas in the snow, and when I'd come out, they’d whistle and call out my name for 10 minutes before I could even get started," she added.
Monroe also touched on being out and about in public, and added, "I’ve been invited places to sort of kind of brighten up a dinner table. You're not really invited for yourself sometimes. That's why I don’t really get involved in the so-called Hollywood life, you know? It doesn't interest me. People, I like. The public scares me; mobs scare me.
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The interview was published on August 3, 1962. just two days before Monroe was found dead.
Behind the glamorous image was Norma Jeane Baker, a former foster child who reinvented herself as the platinum blonde movie star known around the globe.
The interview was published in Life magazine's August 3, 1962, issue.
Just two days later, Monroe was found dead at her Los Angeles home from acute barbiturate poisoning at age 36. Authorities ruled her death a probable suicide, though questions surrounding her final hours have lingered for decades.
Now, as interest in the actress continues more than 60 years after her death, her final reflections are being revisited in the new book Marilyn: The Lost Photographs, The Last Interview, which also features rare images from one of her final photo shoots.
