6 Things You Never Knew About Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo was born on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden and became known for her dramatic screen presence and famously private life. In fact, Garbo remains one of the most enigmatic figures in Hollywood history. In her short but striking film career, she starred in around 28 films and earned four Oscar nominations without ever attending a single Academy Awards ceremony.
Now, more than three decades after her death, a new Netflix film called Garbo: Where Did You Go? is peeling back the curtain on the woman who made the world fall in love with her silence. It’s a fascinating look at a reluctant icon who captivated audiences and then disappeared. From refusing to give interviews to walking away from fame at the height of her power, here are six things you may not know about Garbo who passed away on April 15, 1990 at age 84 from renal failure and pneumonia.
1 She made studio heads panic with one sentence
NBC/Everett Collection
Garbo was notoriously particular about her working conditions and she didn’t hesitate to speak up if something didn’t suit her. Her favorite phrase was, “I think I’ll go back to Sweden!” That single line could send MGM executives into a frenzy, and it worked every time to get her whatever she wanted.
2 She left John Gilbert at the altar
Everett Collection
Her real-life love story with actor John Gilbert was just as dramatic as any movie. The two met on the set of Flesh and the Devil and quickly fell into a passionate relationship. In 1927, Gilbert reportedly arranged a wedding at the last minute, inviting Garbo to marry him that day. But when the moment came, she never showed. Garbo never married and had no children.
3 She secretly helped the Allies during World War II
Everett Collection
Garbo was once criticized for not doing more to support the Allied effort during World War II, but the truth only came out much later. It turns out she was working behind the scenes, helping British intelligence by identifying Nazi sympathizers in neutral Sweden. She also acted as a go-between for agents, carrying messages and making introductions.
4 She struggled with depression
Everett Collection
Throughout her life, Garbo battled chronic depression. She looked for relief in Eastern philosophy, healthy living and spirituality, but never gave up her love for cigarettes and cocktails. In her later years, she took long walks through Central Park, surrounded herself with art and spent time with close friends to help cope with her depression.
5 She never gave another interview after becoming famous
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Garbo’s refusal to speak to the press became part of her mystique. She granted no interviews, signed no autographs, attended no premieres and answered no fan mail. In fact, even during filming, she often asked that the director step off set while she acted.
6 She lived simply and frugally after retirement
Everett Collection
After stepping away from Hollywood in 1941 following the failure of Two-Faced Woman, Garbo never returned to acting. She invested wisely, lived in a modest seven-room apartment in Manhattan, and was famously frugal despite her wealth. Though many believed she became reclusive, she actually spent years traveling with high society friends and enjoying a quiet, cultured life. Even in her final years, she remained something of a mystery.
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