So the week’s movie gossip is that Marilyn Monroe wanted to do Shakespeare. Tapes to her psychiatrist reveal that Laurence Olivier had told her to get acting lessons with Strassberg, and that she planned to take him up on his offer of help.
The more interesting question is what sort of role do you think she would have / could have played? This apparently happened “shortly before her death” in 1962, so figure she was what, 36? She’s probably not doing Juliet. But she’s Marilyn Monroe, for pete’s sake, she needs a romantic role. Cleopatra? Could she pull off the shrewish Kate? Liz Taylor didn’t do hers until 67 – Marilyn could have defined the role ;).
I think the real drama would have been the negotiations for role selection. MM would have been offered Beatrice, and then turned it down while demanding to play Hero. She might also have been offered Lady Capulet, which she may have refused to give Juliet a go.