Based on the 2000 Joyce Carol Oates historical novel of the same name, Blonde is a biographical drama based on the rise and fall of America’s blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas, who rose to prominence with a breakthrough role in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), gained international fame for portraying Marta Cabrera in Knives Out (2019) and Bond girl Paloma in No Time To Die (2021).
Netflix’s official synopsis for Blonde reads as follows:
“After a traumatic childhood, Norma Jeane Mortensen became an actress in the Hollywood of the 1950s and early 1960s. She became world famous under the pseudonym Marilyn Monroe (Ana de Armas). But her on-screen appearances are in stark contrast to the love issues, exploitation, abuse of power and medicament addiction she faced in her private life.”
Alongside Armas as Marilyn Monroe, Blonde sees Adrien Brody as Arthur Miller, a screenwriter who married Monroe in June 1956; Bobby Cannavale portrays Joe DiMaggio, a New York Yankees center fielder who eloped with Monroe in 1954; Julianne Nicholson portrays Monroe’s mother, Gladys Pearl Baker, and Caspar Phillipson portrays America’s 35th president, John F. Kennedy.
In an Elle exclusive, “Ana’s Getaway,” the Cuban and Spanish actress touches on some of her most memorable life experiences, fondly recalling a conversation with fellow actress Jamie Lee Curtis, known for portraying Laurie Strode in David Gordon Green’s Halloween reboot franchise. Elle discloses that while filming Knives Out, De Armas went to L.A. to screen-test for the role of Marilyn. She conversed with Curtis, who discussed her father’s involvement with Marilyn; Tony Curtis appeared opposite Monroe in Some Like It Hot (1959), and Jamie Lee was in awe at the striking resemblance from Armas.
“She showed me a picture of her as Marilyn. My father was in Some Like It Hot, and I have a lot of photos of my father and Marilyn. It was a couple of still pictures and one video of her moving through space with no audio. But it was so shocking because she was Marilyn.”
If Jamie Lee Curtis’ word isn’t enough to believe in Armas’ performance as Marilyn Monroe, then decide for yourselves when Blonde releases Sept. 23, 2022, on Netflix.