Madonna has been criticized for recreating the death scene of Marilyn Monroe for a new photoshoot. Madonna is seen posing in positions similar to Monroe’s last photo set, “The Last Sitting” (1962) by photographer Bert Stern six weeks before Monroe passed away. In the photos for V Magazine, Madonna wears rings similar to Marilyn style and lies lying on a bed, next to which are some prescription pills. Monroe was found dead in bed at her home in Los Angeles and the cause of her death was said to be a drug overdose.
The photos immediately sparked strong reactions from social media users, who called them inappropriate and disrespectful.
Madonna on the other hand is known for her admiration for Monroe. In the 1984 “Material Girl” music video, she was influenced by Monroe’s performance in “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
The photo behind Madonna’s cover photo explained that they were not trying to recreate Monroe’s final photoshoot “exactly” but wanted to explore the “relationship between the photographer and the subject”.
