Charles Casillo
{{Infobox writer
|birth_place=New York City, New York, U.S.
|genre=Historical fiction, Literary fiction
|subject=Biographies
}}
Charles Casillo is an American author, screenwriter, and journalist known for his explorations of iconic Hollywood figures and complex human relationships.
Life
Born in New York City, Casillo studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and HB Studios, where he trained under Sandy Dennis. His early experiences in acting and the vibrant cultural scene of New York have significantly influenced his writing style and subject matter.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
Casillo has authored biographies including Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon (2018){{Cite web |date= |title=Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon by Charles Casillo |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250096869 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Publishers Weekly}} and Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship (2021).{{Cite web |last=Wolfe |first=Kathi |date=2021-06-12 |title=Two new books celebrate Old Hollywood glory |url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2021/06/12/two-new-books-celebrate-old-hollywood-glory/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=The Washington Blade |language=en-US}} In these works, he delves into the personal lives of his subjects, offering readers an intimate look at their relationships and inner struggles.{{Cite web|title=elizabeth-taylor-montgomery-clift-book-review|date=2021-06-07|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/elizabeth-taylor-montgomery-clift-book-review/2021/06/07/b0c36314-c56b-11eb-8c18-fd53a628b992_story.html|work=The Washington Post}} His biography Outlaw: The Lives and Careers of John Rechy examines the life of the groundbreaking gay writer and hustler.{{Cite web |date= |title=OUTLAW: The Lives and Careers of John Rechy by Charles Casillo |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781555837341 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Publishers Weekly}}
In addition to biographies, Casillo has written fiction that often reflects his fascination with fame and its discontents. His novel The Marilyn Diaries (2014) is a fictional recreation of Marilyn Monroe's lost diaries, written in her imagined voice.https://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Diaries-Charles-Casillo/dp/0615937756 Another novel, The Fame Game, explores the lives of three Hollywood hopefuls entangled in a web of ambition and deceit.{{Cite web |title=Charles Casillo {{!}} Authors |url=https://us.macmillan.com/author/charlescasillo |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Macmillan Publishers |language=en-US}}
Casillo's journalism and creative writing have appeared The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, and The Los Angeles Review of Books.{{Cite web |title=Charles Casillo |url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/contributor/charles-casillo/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Los Angeles Review of Books}} He has also contributed to documentaries about Marilyn Monroe, including Behind the Headlines: Marilyn and Her Men and Scandalous: The Death of Marilyn Monroe.
Currently,{{when|date=May 2025}} Casillo divides his time between New York, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs, continuing to write and engage with subjects that explore the complexities of fame, identity, and human connection.
References
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