A lifetime ago, Anna Nicole Smith was just a small-town girl who married her high school sweetheart and worked at a fast-food joint to make ends meet. But after splitting from her first husband in the '90s, Anna Nicole set off for the spotlight, bringing her young son along with her.
She started working her way up in life, first onto a small and seedy stage, and later into the public eye. But fans will recall that most of her media appearances centered on her good looks, her blonde hair, and a personality that was bubbly, showy, and bright. At the same time, her effervescence made Smith seem not so smart.
It seemed that the media was satisfied to portray her as someone who was after her much-older husband's money, or a hard partier who didn't care much about anything but fame and fortune. But was that her true personality? Someone close to her says no, it wasn't.
Fans know that right before she passed away, Anna Nicole filmed a movie called 'Illegal Aliens.' The parody film was another attempt at diving into acting for the starlet, who previously modeled but couldn't quite break into conventional film roles.
This film, released after her passing in 2007, turned out to be Anna Nicole's final project. And a few years ago, the director of that movie turned to Reddit to share everything he knew about the star in her final months.
In a Reddit AMA, director David Giancola (who self-identifies as a "B movie director") explained that he directed Anna Nicole and spent quite a bit of time with her on set. He invited fans to ask any question they wanted, whether about his films or his time working with Smith.
Plenty of fans asked about Giancola's "B" status, which he happily explained to them. But one fan specifically asked whether Anna Nicole really was "that vapid" or if it was just an act. And Giancola's response was a bit surprising.
He confirmed that yes, Smith's "vapid" personality was just an act. But at the same time, it had also become a somewhat ingrained part of Anna Nicole's personality. Giancola explained that Smith "seemed to have a hard time turning it off."
Having worked with actors before, Giancola asked Smith about the habit, assuming it was some kind of "method acting," but the actress had no idea what method acting even was. Further, the director explained that he interpreted the behavior as some kind of "defense mechanism."
A fan echoed that sentiment, pointing out that others have also said Smith was likely just as bright as Marilyn Monroe, who also 'played dumb' to the media. That fan also maintained that the public probably wouldn't have accepted Anna Nicole any other way, and she knew that.