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This week’s heroine is: Mercedes de Acosta (1893-1968)

Also known as: Long-time on-off lover of silent movie siren Greta Garbo for almost fifteen years.

Our heroine’s social scene: 1920s and 30s Hollywood

Famous for: Love letters and poems to Garbo. A turbulent affair with controversial screen queen Tallulah Bankhead. Her tell-all memoir Here Lies the Heart, which included details about her numerous lesbian relationships with some of Hollywood’s most well-known actresses, writers and socialites.

Infamous for: Published a novel and three volumes of poetry, and had four of her plays produced. Had a reputation as a socialite, often frequenting literary and artistic salons. Travelled to India to meet Indian mystic Meher Baba, who told her she and Garbo had been married in a previous life.

Reason she’s a heroine: Mercedes made no attempt to hide her sexuality, and as a result was well-known for her romances with famous Hollywood women. She published her memoir to raise money for treatment on a brain tumour, but the fall-out from the women named in it who wanted their sexuality kept under wraps meant she was ostracised and eventually died broke and unknown. Although several former lovers denied having been involved, Mercedes’ claims were backed up by love letters, and confirmed by Hollywood insiders who had ensured the relationships were not reported in the press.

Any famous friends or lovers: As well as Greta Garbo and Tallulah Bankhead, Mercedes was lifelong friend and occasional lover of Russian ballerina Tamara Karsavina. She also had a 5-year relationship with Eva Le Galliene, and a fling with writer Edith Wharton.

If she were alive today she’d be: Jenny Shimizu, a woman famous only for her kiss-and-tell affairs with Angelina Jolie and Madonna.

Posted in: Exclusives, Sex & Relationships |