The Beyonce-Marilyn Monroe Debate: Why Piers Morgan's tweet triggered a social media firestorm

Piers Morgan has once again sparked controversy after criticizing Beyoncé’s latest Levi’s advertisement, claiming she was ‘appropriating’ Marilyn Monroe’s iconic image.

The uproar began on August 6, 2025, when Morgan posted on X (formerly Twitter), expressing disappointment over what he described as Beyoncé’s use of Marilyn Monroe’s style in the campaign. He tweeted, “Very disappointed to see Beyoncé culturally appropriate Marilyn Monroe in her new Levi’s ad,” Morgan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The Levi’s campaign features Beyoncé sporting platinum blonde curls, winged eyeliner, and red lipstick—evoking Monroe’s classic Hollywood style, especially her iconic look from films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

His comment came amid wider discussions fueled by Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, which faced backlash from some conservative voices.  Morgan’s tweet quickly went viral, amassing over 650,000 views and nearly 2,000 replies. Many Beyoncé fans dismissed his accusation, with comments such as “Marilyn Monroe is an icon, not a culture” and “This is just another attack on Beyoncé.” Others remained divided, on whether she should have gone at all ahead with this look.

In response to the backlash, Morgan claimed his tweet was intended as a joke, saying, “I can’t believe anyone took my obvious Beyoncé joke seriously, but I forgot some people have no sense of humor.”

This isn’t the first time Morgan has clashed with Beyoncé’s supporters. In October 2024, he apologised on-air to Beyoncé and JAY-Z after sharing unverified claims on his show. As Beyoncé’s Levi’s campaign continues to make waves, the discussion around her cultural impact remains as heated as ever.

So far, neither Beyoncé nor Levi’s has responded to the backlash. The singer has faced criticism for her artistic choices before—most notably with her 2022 album Renaissance—but has generally stood firm in her creative vision. It remains unclear if the current campaign will be altered or withdrawn.