The Unique Way Ana De Armas Began Production With The Blonde Crew
The upcoming Netflix psychological drama "Blonde" has been amongst the most anticipated films from the streamer this year. Directed by Andrew Dominik, the film takes a fictionalized look at the inner life and struggles of the iconic 1950s actor Marilyn Monroe. The film, based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, has been in development for several years. Much like the novel, the film has even seen its fair share of controversy. This is largely due to its NC-17 rating, the first Netflix film to be given the notorious label, due to its graphic depictions of sex (via Polygon).
Similarly, the film had difficulty nailing down the perfect actor to take on the role of the beloved Hollywood starlet, with the role being attached first to Naomi Watts in 2010 (via Screen Daily) and then Jessica Chastain in 2014 (via The Wrap). It wouldn't be until 2019 that production would finally land on Ana de Armas (via Indiewire). De Armas, who has seen great popularity in recent years thanks to her several acclaimed performances in such films as "Blade Runner 2049," "Knives Out," and "No Time to Die," has shown great excitement and passion for the project. She would even practice under a dialect coach for a year to get the "Some Like It Hot" star's voice as spot on as possible (via C Magazine). When it came time to finally shoot the film, de Armas's drive to pay respect to Monroe went a step further.
Ana de Armas and the crew wanted Marilyn's permission
On the first day of shooting for "Blonde," Ana de Armas and the film's crew ensured that Marilyn Monroe's legacy would be honored. In an interview with AnOther Magazine, de Armas described how they went to Westwood Memorial Park for a special occasion. "We got this big card and everyone in the crew wrote a message to her," the "Gray Man" actor said. "Then we went to the cemetery and put it on her grave. We were asking for permission in a way. Everyone felt a huge responsibility, and we were very aware of the side of the story we were going to tell –- the story of Norma Jeane, the person behind this character, Marilyn Monroe. Who was she really?"
Monroe, originally born as Norma Jeane, was not only known as a dazzling icon of the 1950s and 1960s with performances in "The Seven Year Itch," and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," but also for her many hardships that ended in an all-too-soon death at the young age of 36 (via The Los Angeles Times). Yet the film's team, even amidst early mixed reception, are confident in the story they are telling. As de Armas told Netflix Queue, "[Andrew Dominik] wanted the world to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane. I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic, and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen."