What is Marilyn Monroe's IQ?

Did Marilyn Monroe ever take an IQ test? No—there’s zero evidence she did. The famous “168 IQ” claim is completely made up. Discover the truth behind the Marilyn Monroe IQ myth.

Dr. Russell T. WarneChief Scientist

Marilyn Monroe's IQ is frequently cited as 168, which would place her in the top 0.1% of the population. This number appears on countless websites, social media posts, and "surprising celebrity IQ" lists. There's just one problem: it's completely false.

No credible evidence exists that Monroe ever took a professionally administered IQ test, let alone scored 168. The claim appears to originate from internet speculation, not documented history. It's a perfect example of how celebrity IQ myths spread and persist despite having no factual basis.

No biographer, historian, or Monroe scholar has ever produced documentation of her taking an IQ test. According to Snopes, Monroe’s extensive personal archives contain no test results. If such an impressive score existed, it likely would have surfaced in the decades of research into her life. So, the idea of Marilyn Monroe being a hidden genius sounds appealing, but it is a fabrication.

The appeal is understandable. People are fascinated by intelligence, particularly when it contradicts assumptions. Monroe was typecast as a "dumb blonde" in Hollywood, so the idea that she was secretly brilliant is satisfying. It challenges stereotypes and makes for good clickbait.

But spreading false information doesn't honor Monroe's life. She was by all accounts a thoughtful person who read widely, studied acting seriously under Lee Strasberg, and ran her own production company, which was a remarkable achievement for any actress in 1950s Hollywood. These real accomplishments do not need embellishment with fictional IQ scores.

What Success Actually Tells Us

Monroe's career success tells us more about her cognitive abilities than any speculative IQ score could. Hollywood demanded multiple abilities from its stars: the capacity to memorize scripts, understand complex emotional scenes, manage business relationships, and navigate an often exploitative industry. Monroe did all of this while building a public persona that remains iconic decades after her death. Clearly, she was smarter than average, but it is impossible to say more than that.

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Dr. Russell T. WarneChief Scientist

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