Marilyn Truman is the mother of Will, Sam and Paul, and the wife of George Truman until his death. Later, she marries Martin Adler.
Biography[]
Will recalls his childhood with Marilyn with bitterness as he says she was not supportive of him growing up.[1] Marilyn admitted that she "went through quite a funk" after giving birth to Will and that she would not pick him up for a year.[2]
During one Christmas, she was so excited when Will asked for two G.I. Joes, because she thought he was building an Army, but was disturbed when she realized he was really "building a home".
Marilyn also used to play "The Vacuum Game" with Will where she would follow him around while vacuuming and reward him with a fudge brownie whenever he does it right.[3] Will mentions that Marilyn used to pick him up at school drunk and naked under a mink.One Gay at a Time
Marriage to George[]
Due to George's affair with Tina and Marilyn's affair with her yoga instructor Tim, they later decide to separate and eventually divorce.[4] The two, however would start seeing each other again, with Tina and Marilyn openly sharing George behind Will's back.[5] George eventually stops seeing Tina and rekindle his romance with Marilyn to Will's joy, but George suffers a heart attack and dies shortly afterwards.[6]
Personality[]
Marilyn is portrayed as a typical WASP, keen on maintaining composure and appearances amidst family problems such as her husband's affair with Tina. Will implies that they don't talk about issues that are awkward and unseemly in the family that they can openly refer to George's affair as "business"[7]. She also tends to say racist and anti-Semitic remarks unapologetically[1][8], implying a conservative upbringing. It has been mentioned that Will is her favorite son[7] and though she completely supports Will as an adult, she still resents gay jokes at Will's expense.[9]
Marilyn also tends to be vindictive to rude and distrustful people with the peculiar desire to "pour bleach on something they love" as a way to exact her revenge.[2]
Notes[]
- She doesn't like Les Misérables, because according to her, "in real life, the poor people never sing that much."[3]
- Will mentions she always wear a tea rose perfume.[10]
- She collects Lladró figurines, including the rare geisha Wi-San.[2]
- For her performance as Marilyn, Blythe Danner has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005 and 2006.
Appearances[]
- Moveable Feast
- Cheatin' Trouble Blues
- Home Court Disadvantage
- Me and Mr. Jones
- Heart Like a Wheelchair
- I Never Cheered for My Father
- Christmas Break
- From Queer to Eternity
- A Little Christmas Queer
- Blanket Apology
- The Mourning Son
Quotes[]
She's adopted. But I like her as if she were real. — About her neice Casey, A Little Christmas Queer
You mean it's possible to wear less than you're wearing right now? — I Never Cheered for my Father
You know, I trust everyone implicitly. Until they betray that trust. And then they are dead to me forever. — Christmas Break
Boy, time flies when the man you've been devoted to for 40 years says, "Stop calling, you're waking us up." — Home Court Disadvantage