Photo: Glacier Media

A Prince George woman turned an obsession into an emotionally fulfilling profession.

That’s what Kat Fullerton did four years ago when she decided it was time to pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional impersonator of, arguably, the most recognizable woman in history.

After years of mimicking Marilyn Monroe for shows locally and elsewhere, she was rewarded with a prestigious honour among the global impressionist community.

At the 2020 Reel Awards in Las Vegas this month, Fullerton won the Classic Crooner Award, which goes to a performer displaying a celebrity singer before 1960.

“I’ve always been fascinated with Marilyn,” Fullerton said.

“It’s like you can’t take your eyes off of her. The mythology and her legacy is so interesting; she’s still on the cover of magazines, we’re still talking about her to this day. She’s the most recognizable woman in the entire world. I was always a good mimic; I can do good impressions, I can sound a lot like people, so I got involved naturally. Any time for any reason I could be a Marilyn-type character, I could do it.”

She beat out two men impersonating Frank Sinatra for the award, but doesn’t necessarily think of it as a competition.

“We all understand each other, you don’t have to explain to people why you do what you do; you get together, we laugh, you learn and you network. We love each other so much.”

Fullerton boasts a degree in musical theatre from Mount Royal University, and her social media handle is ‘Almost Marilyn.’ 

After hosting Foxxie Follies at the Prince George Playhouse on March 7, she’s off to perform in a jukebox musical for three months, starting in Edmonton.