Ava Gardner!

Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Piece of Advice Newsletter!

Good morning! Today we are looking into the incredible legacy of Golden Age of Hollywood icon, Ava Gardner! I was lucky enough to ask a few questions to the Executive Director of the Ava Gardner Museum, Angelica Henry!

Ava Gardner was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, known for her striking beauty, magnetic screen presence, and a life that often felt as dramatic as her films. Born in 1922 in Grabtown, North Carolina, she grew up on a tobacco farm before heading to Hollywood in her late teens. A photograph of her in a store window caught the eye of a talent scout, and before long she had signed with MGM. Her early roles were small, but her breakthrough came with “The Killers” (1946), where she starred opposite Burt Lancaster. The film not only made her a star but also set the tone for the sultry, complex characters she would become known for.

Gardner went on to appear in a string of acclaimed films, including “Mogambo” (1953), which earned her an Academy Award nomination, as well as “Show Boat” (1951), “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954), and “On the Beach” (1959). Off-screen, she became equally famous for her whirlwind personal life, which included marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and Frank Sinatra. Her tumultuous romance with Sinatra in particular kept gossip columns buzzing for years, and the two remained close even after their divorce. Despite the media spotlight, Gardner often downplayed her glamour, calling herself just “a country girl who got lucky.”

Her life was as colorful as her career. She was known for her quick wit and unfiltered personality, once saying, “Deep down, I’m pretty superficial.” She lived much of her later life in Spain and London, enjoying flamenco music and a circle of international friends. Fun facts about her include her love of boxing (she often sparred with friends), her close friendship with writer Ernest Hemingway, and her knack for escaping Hollywood’s pressures by traveling abroad. Gardner passed away in 1990 at the age of 67 after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, independence, and unforgettable performances.

Today, her memory is preserved at the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina, near where she was raised. The museum houses personal items, costumes, movie posters, and memorabilia from her decades in film, offering an intimate look at the woman behind the star image. Fans can see everything from gowns she wore on-screen to letters and photographs that reveal her private side. The museum has become a cultural landmark, celebrating not only her Hollywood career but also her Southern roots. Through her films and the museum that honors her, Ava Gardner remains a timeless figure; an actress who defined elegance and independence in an era when Hollywood often demanded conformity.

Bonus Questions:

Giancarlo: What is the most important thing most people don’t know about Ava Gardner?

Angelica Henry: This is totally subjective and depends on who you speak to! As the Executive Director of the Museum, I would argue that the most important thing about Ava was that she was indelibly smart and had much more to offer than her bombshell exterior. She was a stand up woman, someone that could be copy and pasted in 2025 and would certainly withstand the test of time. Pardon my french here, but Ava Gardner was a badass.

Giancarlo: What is the most unique or rare item in your collection, and what makes it significant?

Angelica Henry: An interesting question -- and one that can vary in responses depending on if rarity is specific to an artifact's dollar amount. Almost all of the artifacts in our collection are priceless and invaluable (I say almost all because we do have film posters, photos, etc. that have multiples.) I think some of our most unique items in the collection include one of her wedding corsages or the Gardner family bible that includes hand written entries of each of her siblings' births. This isn't necessarily one of our "rarest" artifacts, but we do have one of her corgi's sweaters that still has corgi hair in it!

Giancarlo: How does the museum decide which pieces go on display versus staying in storage?

Angelica Henry: We make this decision based on which story we want to tell, which artifacts are able to see the light (some are more sensitive than others,) and a few other deciding factors. It really depends-- and it's a really great question. This is the main reason I just love the Museum realm so much, there are so many variables happening at all times that impact the museum experience. 

Giancarlo: What programs or exhibits are you most excited about in the near future?

Angelica Henry: I'm realllllllyyyyy, really, really, really excited about an exhibition we have coming up in the next month. It's somewhat small, but it includes dresses of Ava's that have never been seen. There's a really tender story attached to the artifacts, too. Everyone at the Museum is just thrilled to see how visitors react to this exhibition. This exhibition will be unveiled at our annual Ava Gardner Festival, which will take place October 10th-12th this year.

Piece Of Advice:

Giancarlo: What is this best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Angelica Henry:  I love this question! Perhaps unrelated, but when I was a child, my mother told me "The good will always outweigh the bad." That always stuck with me. 

The Museum: https://www.johnstoncountync.org/ava-gardner/

Thank you for reading! Have an amazing day and we will catch you again on Monday!

-Giancarlo