This article is about 3 famous women – all dead at 36 years old.
The first was Marilyn Monroe. Had she lived, she would have turned 100 in 2026. Though she has generated enduring fascination and adoration since her rise to fame in the 1950s, her personal life was marked by abandonment and rejection.
She was born to a single mother who struggled with paranoid schizophrenia. This meant she was unable to be a mother to Monroe which led to an unstable upbringing in foster care and orphanages. Although the father named on her birth certificate was Martin Edward Mortensen, she was later able to track down her biological father, charles Stanley Gifford. In Charles Casillo’s biography ‘Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon’, her father rebuffed her desire to get to know him with the words, “I’m married and I have a family. I don’t have anything to say to you. Call my lawyer.”According to Gifford’s granddaughter, Francine Gifford Deir, “he refused to see her.” In a bitterly ironic twist, the woman whom millions flocked to see at the box office, did not want to be seen by her own father.
Loved by the Camera
Monroe may have been blonde but was never dumb – just damaged by childhood neglect and abuse. She was a model before she became an actress. She may have appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine [December 1953 issue], but she was constantly searching for more interesting roles to prove she could truly act and was more than a pretty face and voluptuous body. This led her to form ‘Marilyn Monroe Productions’ in conjunction with photographer, Milton Green.
The second woman was Princess Diana. She became “the most photographed woman in the world.” In fact, the pubic at large had become so used to seeing her face, that her death created a surge of unparalleled grief. She died in a car accident in a Paris tunnel when she was being chased by the paparazzi. the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, described her as ‘The Peoples Princess’ because she had forged a deep connection with those in need from the time of her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981. Her warmth, tactile ways and transparent sharing of her own suffering, made it easy for ordinary people to relate to her.
The Downside of Fame
The third woman was Hayden Panettiere who died recently on 16 August 2026. To date, the Coroner’s investigation has uncovered no signs of physical trauma, but she openly confessed to the psychological traumas she endured. Most of us yearn for 15 minutes of fame, but bring too famous from an early age, might be hazardous to one’s health. Dr Raj Persaud has observed that “celebrity is often accompanied by deep loneliness.” There is often a pervading sense of doubt as to who can be trusted with good reason. Also, their public image may be at odds with their true persona, inner feelings and desires. They may harbour a fear that if their true selves were revealed they might be rejected by their adoring fans or criticised by the public in general. They may gravitate towards occupations where they can bury their true selves in fictional character portrayals because being themselves is simply too painful.
Maybe all child stars grow up too soon and miss out on normal childhood development. Former child star, Christy Carlson, said that “the industry gives us the wound and then acts surprised when we reach for something to treat it.”
Both Monroe and Panettiere were on a cocktail of prescription medications. Panettiere suffered with long-term alcohol and opioid addiction.
According to Psychiatrist, Dr Josef, “concomitant use of benzodizepines and opiods may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death…limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.” [Box warning]
Mental Distress
In her 2025 autobiography, Panettiere openly shared her struggles with postpartum depression. It led to the painful decision to sign over custody of her daughter to her ex-partner.
Although both Monroe and Princess Diana attempted suicide, Panettiere never confessed such an intent or attempt although she was candid about her mental health lows. Panettiere admitted to body dysmorphia from the age of 16 which was triggered by media criticism of her cellulite.
Panettiere and Princess Diana took huge risks in sharing their private struggles and thoughts in the media. Diana flouted the royal mantra – ‘never complain, never explain’. Through her BBC Panorama interview, she shone a light into the nightmarish aspects of what appeared to outsiders to be a ‘fairytale marriage’. She won the sympathies of the public but incurred the disapproval of the royal family. This paved the way for a difficult divorce in which she lost her HRH title. Princess Diana’s death was so tragic because she was on the verge of starting a new and happier chapter in her life. She admitted to struggling with bulimia soon after her marriage and felt she was never able to enjoy the devotion and affection of her husband.
In Summary
Despite being blessed with beauty, fame, status and wealth, these three women reached the end of their lives in less than desirable ways. Furthermore, they were hoping for more from life and so it could safely be said that their lives were cut short in their prime.
Common Threads & Closing Comments
Three famous women who packed a lot of drama and spun countless headlines in their short lives. They lived in different times in history but had so much in common and there’s much they had in common. All three died in the month of August at the age of 36. Let us reflect on their relatively short lives, and what we can learn from them.
All three spent ,most of their lives in performative roles. As one would expect from two actresses and a princess, they were obliged to pose and smile for the cameras. All three achieved global fame and garnered huge followings and fanbases. All three were living proof that fame does not necessarily bring one happiness. All three died in tragic circumstances. Arguably, the writing was on the wall from their youth.
