Norma Jean & Marilyn

Norma Jean & Marilyn is a 1996 made-for-TV biographical film produced by HBO and premiered on May 18, 1996. The film featured Ashley Judd as Norma Jean Dougherty and Mira Sorvino as Marilyn Monroe. It was partially based on Norma Jean: My Secret Life With Marilyn Monroe by actor Eddie Jordan (played by Josh Charles), who claimed to have had a years-long relationship with Monroe.

The tagline for the highly fictionalized film summarizes the plot: "Marilyn Monroe was our fantasy. Norma Jean was her reality." In dream-like scenes, Monroe and her former self appear together, with Norma Jean sometimes taunting Marilyn. The original music score was composed by Christopher Young.

It was nominated for five Emmy Awards, including for both lead actresses.

Main cast

 * Ashley Judd as Norma Jean Dougherty
 * Marianne Davis as Young Norma Jean
 * Kelsey Mulrooney as Child Norma Jean
 * Mira Sorvino as Marilyn Monroe
 * Josh Charles as Eddie Jordan
 * Ron Rifkin as Johnny Hyde
 * David Dukes as Arthur Miller
 * Peter Dobson as Joe DiMaggio
 * Taylor Nichols as Fred Karger
 * John Rubinstein as Darryl F. Zanuck
 * Allan Corduner as Billy Wilder
 * Lindsay Crouse as Natasha Lytess
 * Dennis Bowen as Tom Kelly
 * Nancy Linehan Charles as Bette Davis
 * Jeffrey Combs as Montgomery Clift
 * Steven Culp as Robert F. Kennedy
 * Lou Cutell as Henry T. Weinstein
 * Dana Goldstone as Lee Strasberg
 * Micole Mercurio as Mozelle Hyde
 * John Apicella as Milton R. Krasner
 * Kevin Bourland as David March

Production
A cherry adorned dress Sorvino wore in the film, from The Misfits, was actually worn by Monroe during the filming of the original movie. Sorvino had found it while visiting a costume house in New York City looking for Marilyn Monroe costumes.

Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 60% of professional critics gave the film a positive review, with a rating average of 4.8 out of 10.