The Long Curse Ana De Armas Faces For Portraying Marilyn Monroe
The interest in Marilyn Monroe's glamorous and tragic life (and death) has only grown in the 60 years since she passed away. Over the years, numerous films have been made with the intention of exploring the late actor and singer's life, which was marked by success, romantic scandal, and prescription drug addiction — the suspected cause of her death, per Variety. Ana de Armas, best known for her roles in "Knives Out," is the latest actor to step into Monroe's iconic shoes in "Blonde," based on the 2000 novel by Joyce Carol Oates. Due out in September, "Blonde" is a fictionalized take on Monroe's soaring highs and plummeting lows. And while this starring role could push the Cuban-born actor into the next phase of her career, it's possible Armas will suffer the same fate as many of the long list of actors who've portrayed the iconic starlet: bad reviews.
Over the years, critics (and fans, for that matter) have been pretty hard on actors who attempted to channel the "Blonde Bombshell." Michelle Williams, who starred in 2011's "My Week With Marilyn" and was nominated for an Academy Award for the role, won over some critics, while others remained wholly unimpressed (via Rotten Tomatoes). Meanwhile, Misty Rowe's 1976 attempt in "Goodbye, Norma Jean," remains almost universally panned by viewers, per IMDb.
Only time will tell if Armas's portrayal leads her down a similar path. However, reviews have already started to sprinkle in and critics aren't holding back.
Ana de Armas gets mostly good reviews
"Blonde" will receive a limited theater release on September 16 before heading to Netflix on September 28. However, critics have already gotten their hands on the film and they've been extremely vocal about Ana de Armas' portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. So far, Armas has received mostly glowing reviews from critics. Philip de Semlyen from Time Out wrote, "Ana de Armas is great as Marilyn Monroe in an otherwise unsubtle and myth-reinforcing reimagining of the icon's life." Richard Lawson from Vanity Fair wrote, "It's pretty much all pain, all the time. But in rendering that so potently, de Armas fulfills the mission of Dominik's film, crafting a vivid and frightening picture of the madness of fame." Meanwhile, Luis Briscuso from Slashfilm wrote, "Ana De Armas' Powerhouse Performance Tries Hard To Save An Ambitious Mess." Likewise, Armas received a 14-minute standing ovation when "Blonde" premiered at the Venice Film Festival, per Variety.
Of course, the real test will come once "Blonde" is available for the general population, but overall, Armas is on track to be well-received. However, the actor has received criticism for her Cuban accent. For the people who may not like the film due to that fact, Armas shared with Today that she wasn't interested in "imitating [Marilyn Monroe]." Rather, "I was interested in her feelings, her journey, her insecurities, and her voice, in the sense that she didn't really have one."