Nearly three decades after she became a household name for reasons beyond her control, Monica Lewinsky is showing the world a very different side of herself, one that has nothing to do with scandal and everything to do with reinvention.
On April 3, she attended the opening night of Good Night, and Good Luck on Broadway, a production backed by George Clooney. The red carpet was packed with A-list names like Jennifer Lopez, Uma Thurman, Hugh Jackman, Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber, but it was Lewinsky who caught attention in a strapless black gown with ruffled edges and a quiet confidence that signalled how far she’s come.
After years out of the spotlight, Lewinsky now leads conversations on power, shame, and resilience through her podcast and media workGetty Images
The public first knew her as a 22-year-old White House intern involved in an affair with then-President Bill Clinton, a story that dominated headlines in the late '90s and led to his impeachment trial. While Clinton was acquitted, the fallout for Lewinsky was far more personal. She disappeared from the spotlight for years.
But in the last few years, she’s taken control of her own story. Lewinsky has become a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, where she writes about politics, media and identity. She's also stepped into the world of podcasting with her own show, Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky, launched in January. The podcast digs into how people rebuild after public failures, something she knows all too well. Her guests so far include Olivia Munn, Tony Hawk and Wicked director Jon M. Chu.
Monica Lewinsky steps back into the spotlight with a fresh voice, bold style, and a new chapter in HollywoodGetty Images
She’s also been unafraid to speak openly about how the media handled her story, particularly how it harmed not just her, but a whole generation of young women. On Call Her Daddy, she reflected on how the press and public opinion failed her and protected power instead. “I was torn apart for my sexuality, for my mistakes, for my everything,” she said.
Lewinsky, now also a producer and anti-bullying advocate, says she no longer seeks an apology from Clinton. Her focus is on starting conversations about power, consequence and the cost of being publicly shamed.
From producing HBO Max’s 15 Minutes of Shame to speaking out about digital harassment, Lewinsky has moved far beyond the narrow narrative once forced on her and is thriving on her own terms.
