Lindsay Lohan Poses Nude – as Marilyn Monroe

By Stephen M. Silverman

02/18/2008 at 11:00 AM EST

In what is likely her greatest role to date, Lindsay Lohan plays Marilyn Monroe between the sheets – literally – in the new spring fashion issue of New York magazine.

Recreating Monroe's legendary 1962 final photo shoot for Bert Stern with the veteran lensman himself, Lohan posed for the spread on Feb. 5 at the Hotel Bel-Air.

When it came to being nude before the camera, "I was comfortable with it," says Lohan, 21 (Monroe was 36 in 1962, the year she died) – though Lindsay does admit to having done "250 crunches" the night before the shoot.

There was also no avoiding the parallels between Monroe's tragic fate – dead from an accidental overdose of prescription medicines – and that, recently, of Heath Ledger's.

"They are both prime examples of what this industry can do to someone," says Lohan.

When it is pointed out to Lohan, who has been in rehab three times, that the possibility may exist of a similar fate for her, the young actress replies with a tinge of annoyance: "I don't know. I'm not them. But I sure as hell wouldn't let it happen to me."