Drew Barrymore Recalls JFK Jr. Phone Call That Led to Controversial 1996 Marilyn Cover
In a March 5 episode, drew barrymore said John F. Kennedy Jr. called her to ask that she pose as Marilyn Monroe for a 1996 magazine cover. She recalled the call as unusually candid, saying JFK Jr. wanted the shoot to be “straightforward” and “sensual” rather than a parody, and she later saw the photos by Mario Sorrenti. The exchange arose during a conversation about Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio’s JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography and has renewed focus on the editorial choices behind that George magazine cover.
Drew Barrymore on the Call
drew barrymore described answering the phone at home and speaking directly with John F. Kennedy Jr. about tone and intent. She quoted him as saying he wanted something “controversial” but not “buffoonery, ” asking for a representation that felt “sensual, straightforward, confident. ” She added she asked for direction on the tone and whether the shoot would carry his “seal of approval, ” and that she later learned those involved were happy with the final images.
Immediate reactions and named voices
“I want to do something that’s gonna be controversial because I’d like you to pose as Marilyn Monroe, ” drew barrymore recalled JFK Jr. saying in their exchange, reflecting how the concept was framed to her. Mario Sorrenti is named in the record as the photographer for the shoot and is connected to the final images that Barrymore said she saw. Matt Berman, George’s former art director, commented on John F. Kennedy Jr. ‘s editorial style, saying he was “definitely the leader of the pack” and that JFK Jr. “had this gracious way of making people feel so comfortable, like Fred Astaire on the dance floor. ” These remarks underline the combination of personal appeal and editorial ambition that shaped the project.
Quick context
George magazine was in publication from 1995 until 2001. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy died in a 1999 plane crash in Martha’s Vineyard.
What’s next
drew barrymore’s recollection, framed by the recent oral biography, is likely to prompt renewed discussion about celebrity image-making and editorial risk in the 1990s; archival interviews and recollections from others involved may surface as the conversation continues. Expect more reflections from named participants and archival material to clarify the editorial intent behind that 1996 cover in the coming weeks.
