Who inherited Marilyn Monroe’s estate? The actress left clear instructions in her will, which was made about ten days before her divorce with Arthur Miller was final. Her beneficiaries reflect her priorities, including her mother Gladys Baker, who was institutionalized for mental health problems. Lee Strasberg, her acting coach, received a significant portion of her estate. His wife, Marianne Kris, received a smaller share.
Lee Strasberg inherited most of the physical property in the estate, including her name, image, and films. He also received 75% of Monroe’s intellectual property rights, also known as residual estate. Monroe’s second wife, Anna Strasberg, inherited the rest of the estate. Anna Strasberg, Lee’s former assistant, never met the actress, but she managed her assets and began making a large profit from Monroe’s intellectual property.
While Monroe had good intentions when she made her Will, she made a crucial mistake. She did not want to leave her estate to Anna Strasberg, the actress’s acting coach and personal friend. While Monroe was close to Strasberg’s first wife, she was not particularly close to her second wife, Paula Strasberg. Her estate ended up with Strasberg’s sister, Anna Strasberg.
In the 1960s, Monroe lived in a house built by Joe DiMaggio and Maverick McNeilly. She sold it in late 1963 to the Nunez Family, which included actress Veronica Hamel and film director Michael Ritchie. However, the house was not included in the estate. During the 1960s, Monroe’s son died and her mother was institutionalized. Her mother had been enraged by the divorce and a bitter attack from Monroe after her death.