Actress Ana de Armas explains why she isn't imitating Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. The film is an adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' 2000 novel of the same name, which is a fictionalized account of Monroe's life. Although not a biography, Blonde still covers the real moments and people in her life but fleshes out the parts that aren't as well-documented or that took place behind closed doors, which may or may not be completely accurate as to how things played out.
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Dominik has been vocal about Blonde receiving an NC-17 from the MPA, a move he calls "political" as he says an episode of HBO's Euphoria is far more graphic. The casting of de Armas was also met with controversy, as the actress is Cuban-born and has a thick accent, which is decidedly different from the real Monroe's American accent. De Armas took dialect classes to prepare for the role, but ultimately settled on a vocal performance that doesn't hide her natural accent, even if her look is exceptionally spot on.
Talking to lofficielusa, de Armas commented on her take on the character, clarifying how she approached Monroe after dialect coaching and heavy research into the iconic actress. “My job wasn’t to imitate her," said de Armas, who took a different view on how to portray Monroe. "I was interested in her feelings, her journey, her insecurities, and her voice, in the sense that she didn’t really have one.” De Armas still felt the weight of the role, however, and took it on with the knowledge that it would be something that challenged her, saying, "I feel like whether you’re a Cuban or an American actress, anyone should feel the pressure.”
In terms of the rating, de Armas feels it's unwarranted, but knew that in order to tell the full story, Blonde would have to go into uncomfortable territory. Highlighting the good and bad of Monroe's life, as an ambitious and determined actress that's scarred by sexual abuse and old-school Hollywood misogyny, de Armas knew that it would require pushing boundaries. "But to tell this story it is important to show all these moments in Marilyn’s life that made her end up the way that she did. It needed to be explained," says de Armas, noting that it wasn't just her that had to meet that challenge. "Everyone [in the cast] knew we had to go to uncomfortable places. I wasn’t the only one.”
Blonde is one of the most-anticipated films to be released this fall, as the trailers and images released thus far have built a strong level of hype. Beyond that, the NC-17 rating has created intrigue around the project, with many eager to watch the film just to see if the extreme rating was necessary. The biggest takeaway will no doubt be de Armas' performance, which looks to be an amazing portrayal, regardless of her accent or subtle physical differences from the real Monroe. It's more inspiring to know that de Armas is taking her own approach to the performance, rather than just imitating Monroe, adding even more intrigue to Blonde.