Marilyn Monroe Estate Defends Ana de Armas in ‘Blonde’

Despite criticism, Ana de Armas’ performance as Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming Netflix film Blonde has already received a glowing review from the screen icon property.

“Marilyn Monroe is a one-of-a-kind Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history,” said Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, which owns the Marilyn Monroe property. Variety on Monday. “Any actor stepping into that role knows they have big shoes to fill. Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Ana was a great casting choice as she captures Marilyn’s glamour, humanity and vulnerability. We can’t Can’t wait to see the movie in full!”

The supportive comments come less than a week after the trailer dropped for director Andrew Dominik’s adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ 1989 book of the same name. The clip has sparked debate on social media about the Cuban-born actress’ re-creation of Monroe’s raspy voice and whether it matters if her natural accent comes through, as there are many examples of actors portraying characters who didn’t speak Like them.

De Armas told London’s The times in January 2021 that she worked hard to perfect the iconic voice even before stepping in front of the camera.

“It took me nine months of dialect coaching and rehearsals and some ADR sessions,” de Armas said. “It was a great torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.”

The actress, known for roles in No time to die, Knives out and Blade Runner 2049described Dominik’s decision to cast a Cuban woman as Monroe in a fictionalized version of her life story as “groundbreaking” in a March 2020 interview with Vanity Fair.

Forbes reported in November 2020 that Monroe’s estate had grossed $8 million between October 1, 2019, and October 1, 2020, placing the iconic entertainer at No. 13 on the magazine’s annual list of highest-paid dead celebrities. In addition to movies and TV shows, the publication wrote that “Monroe’s image and name are used by nearly 100 brands globally, including Dolce & Gabbana, Zales and even the Lego Group.” However, Monroe did not make the same list in 2021.

That Some like it hot actress has previously been played by, among others, Poppy Montgomery (in a TV adaptation from 2001 of Blonde)Mira Sorvino (HBO’s 1996 film Norma Jean and Marilynfor which Sorvino was nominated for an Emmy), Michelle Williams (the film My week with Marilyn in 2011, where she was nominated for an Oscar).

Blonde is available September 28 on Netflix.