ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Edith Bouvier Beale

Edith Bouvier Beale was a lady who lived a long time ago. She was born in 1917 and grew up in a family that had lots of money, so she lived in a big house and had everything she wanted.

But when she got older, things changed. Edith's family had some problems with money, and she couldn't keep living in luxury. She moved with her mom to a smaller house in 1941, and things were not the same anymore.

Edith's mom was a very important lady, and she had a lot of friends, like famous painters and writers. They used to visit her all the time, and Edith loved the attention they gave her. But after they moved to the smaller house, they became very isolated, and no one came to see them anymore.

They also didn't have much money left, so they couldn't take care of the house properly. It became very dirty and full of stuff everywhere. They even had cats living with them, and the house smelled bad.

Despite all this, Edith and her mom still dressed like they were very rich and sophisticated. They loved to put on fur coats and big hats and pretend they were still part of the high society.

Eventually, someone made a movie about Edith and her mom, called "Grey Gardens," and people were shocked to see the way they lived. It became famous, and some people even thought it was funny. But for Edith and her mom, it was just their life, and they didn't know any different.

So, in summary, Edith Bouvier Beale was once a lady who had everything she wanted but then lived in a dirty house with her mom and cats, pretending to be rich. People made a movie about their unusual life, and it became famous.