Ellen Burstyn Recalls Marilyn Monroe’s Nod and Bette Davis’ Fierce Career Advice

Ellen Burstyn’s Marilyn Monroe Memory Still Glows Six Decades Later

At 93, Ellen Burstyn arrived at the 2026 Venice Film Festival carrying two new projects, a lifetime-achievement Golden Lion and enough old-Hollywood stories to make the entire press room sit up a little straighter.

Two memories in particular stole the moment: one involving Marilyn Monroe, the other Bette Davis.

Burstyn is in Venice with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short film Flesh Impact, created around what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, and Kornél Mundruczó’s Place to Be. The festival is also honoring Burstyn with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, recognizing a career that includes an Oscar, a Tony and two Emmys.

Flesh Impact makes the Monroe connection especially surreal. Dakota Johnson plays Marilyn at the height of her fame, while Burstyn portrays an imagined older Monroe — the version history never got to see.

That role brought one of Burstyn’s own earliest memories of Monroe rushing back.

“I was enchanted just looking at her. She was such a magical creature.”

Ellen Burstyn

Burstyn explained that she and Monroe never actually met. They simply happened to be in the same nightclub, seated across from one another. Then Monroe looked over and gave her a nod.

For Burstyn — still very early in her career — the tiny gesture landed like a thunderbolt. She remembered thinking, “I’ve just been recognized by Marilyn Monroe.” It was a blink-and-you-miss-it exchange, but one she says she carried in her heart.

There was another Monroe connection too. Burstyn later shared a masseur with her: Ralph Roberts, an actor and longtime confidant of Monroe’s. Roberts would tell Burstyn stories about the woman behind the famous image, including how carefully Monroe could switch that public persona on and off.

Then came Bette Davis.

Burstyn recalled meeting Davis shortly after she herself had become recognizable. Davis did not waste time with small talk. Instead, she handed the younger actress one piece of career advice that was very Bette Davis in both tone and efficiency.

“The only thing that’s important is your work.”

Bette Davis, as recalled by Ellen Burstyn

The rest of the advice was even sharper: anyone who tries to get between you and your work is your enemy.

It is hard to imagine a more perfect passing of the torch. Monroe gave Burstyn a wordless moment of validation. Davis gave her a commandment.

And Burstyn kept going.

Her career would eventually include Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, The Exorcist, Requiem for a Dream, Interstellar and decades of stage and screen work. She remains co-president of the Actors Studio and, remarkably, is still taking on new roles well into her 90s.

Which makes the Venice honor feel less like a full stop and more like a very glamorous comma.

Watch Ellen Burstyn Recall Marilyn Monroe and Bette Davis at Venice

At her Venice Film Festival press conference, Burstyn reflects on Monroe’s unforgettable nod and the fiercely practical career advice she received from Bette Davis.

Sources: La Biennale di Venezia; Associated Press; Reuters.