Thalía: 1972—: Singer, Actress

Thalía's grasp of fame is not without guile. A performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" on the Mexican talk show La Movida made a canny connection between the budding sex goddess and Marilyn Monroe, one of the world's most ogled sirens. The alliance was no one-time event. In public appearances and interviews, Thalía dressed and postured like Marilyn Monroe, emulating her stagy innocence and wardrobe as well as the famous sex symbol's pout and calculated body language. In a wide-eyed interview with Arisorama concerning her appeal in Greece, Thalía gushed over her Greek fan base, the reception of her soap opera characterizations, and her album Amor a la Mexicana. She expressed gratitude for the generous outpouring of love from strangers in a foreign land and promised to visit the country to experience Greek idol worship.

At one time Thalía declared her primary loyalty to her mother-manager, Yolanda Miranda de Sodi. The singer and actress looked ahead to a full career, but anticipated even more a successful marriage, which she considered a basis for happiness. On December 2, 2000, she wed Sony Music mogul Thomas D. "Tommy" Mottola at a $3 million show-biz wedding in New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Fans feared that pairing with Mariah Carey's cast-off ex was a fatal career move for Thalía. The age difference—Thalia's 28 to Mottola's 52—had tabloids predicting disaster. Settled in New York City, she appeared unfazed by gossip and launched a line of eyeware for Kenmark Optical while planning more albums.