Chris Evans shares what his first reaction was to seeing Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Although de Armas has been acting since she was a teenager, it wasn't until her roles in films like Blade Runner 2049 and Knives Out that the star became well-known to American audiences. Knives Out saw de Armas take on the role of Marta Cabrera, a nurse who becomes embroiled in a complex murder mystery plot alongside Evans' nefarious character, Ransom. De Armas later collaborated with Evans again on this summer's The Gray Man, an action thriller from Netflix in which she played a supporting role.
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After a fan-favorite turn in No Time to Die, de Armas is next slated to appear in Blonde, a fictionalized account of the life and death of 1950s icon Marilyn Monroe. The film, which is written and directed by Andrew Dominik, is based on a book of the same name by author Joyce Carol Oates. The first trailer for Blonde has already shown off de Armas' impressive transformation into the late starlet, with the actor boasting a noticeable physical transformation and accent. The NC-17-rated Blonde earned a 14-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere but relatively mixed reviews from critics. Most agreed, however, that de Armas' performance is particularly impressive.
In a new interview with Variety, Evans recalls his first reaction to seeing de Armas' camera test as Monroe in Blonde. Speaking more generally, Evans says that he thinks Blonde was "incredibly demanding" for his Knives Out co-star and that he remembers de Armas being very excited about the role. Check out Evans' full comment below:
“I think this was one of the first opportunities she had to really sink her teeth into something incredibly demanding. I didn’t see one bit of fear; I saw excitement. I remember looking at [her camera test] and saying, ‘OK, that’s Marilyn … where’s your shot? That’s you? Holy s–t! You’re going to win an Oscar for this!’”
Could Ana de Armas Win An Oscar For Playing Marilyn Monroe?
Although de Armas is now a very well-known actor in Hollywood, Blonde marks the actor's first major transformation for a leading role. Trailers for the film have already shown off just how immersed de Armas became in the world of Monroe and, as has been seen with a number of films in the past, the Academy Awards does have a penchant for recognizing actors who undergo significant transformations, especially when it comes to embodying iconic historical figures. While reviews for Blonde may be mixed overall, Evans' suggestion that de Armas could be a contender for Best Actress is certainly not without precedent.
It remains to be seen how Blonde will fair with general audiences upon its release on Netflix, but if early reviews are any indication, de Armas' performance alone will be reason enough for many viewers to seek the film out. Despite glowing reviews for de Armas' performance, however, Blonde's graphic subject matter and NC-17 rating could deter at least some audiences. However, it's unclear if the controversial rating will have any impact on her Oscar chances. Thankfully, fans of de Armas now have less than a week to wait before Blonde releases on Netflix and they can see whether Evans' glowing endorsement rings true.