Mercedes de Acosta

Mercedes de Acosta, born on March first, nineteen hundred and ninety-two, was a multifaceted American artist known for her work as a poet, screenwriter, novelist, fashion designer, and autobiographer. Despite not achieving widespread artistic acclaim during her lifetime, her legacy is marked by her passionate relationships with some of the most celebrated figures in Broadway and Hollywood.

Throughout her life, de Acosta engaged in numerous romantic affairs with prominent personalities, including Alla Nazimova, Isadora Duncan, Eva Le Gallienne, and Marlene Dietrich. However, her most notable relationship was with the iconic actress Greta Garbo, with whom she embarked on a tumultuous romance beginning in nineteen thirty-one.

In nineteen sixty, de Acosta published her memoir, Here Lies the Heart, which has since been recognized as a significant contribution to gay history. The memoir subtly reveals the lesbian undertones of her relationships, offering a glimpse into the complexities of her personal life and the societal norms of her time.