Why Ana De Armas Could Upset A Lot Of People Very Soon

Ana de Armas' Hollywood momentum has not slowed down since her Golden Globes-nominated turn in 2019's "Knives Out." Since then, the versatile Cuban-born actor has enjoyed transforming herself in a series of wildly different genres. After a scene-stealing role in "No Time to Die" and a steamy one in "Deep Water" — the erotic thriller starring her and ex-beau Ben Affleck — de Armas is ready to showcase her Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming "Blonde."

Telling Entertainment Weekly the role was "the most beautiful thing I've ever done," de Armas finished the film in 2019. "It was the most intense work I've ever done," she said, adding that preparation involved a year of extensive research, including "accent... reading material, and talking to [director] Andrew Dominik for months." Also starring Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, and Julianne Nicholson, early reports of the film make it seem like it will be an audience-shocker, for sure. For instance, The Guardian confirmed a rape scene and speculated on the existence of a widely rumored "bloody menstrual cunnilingus" scene. Rated NC-17, "Blonde" is based on author Joyce Carol Oates' 2000 novel of the same name. Having seen an early cut of the film, Oates called it "startling, brilliant, very disturbing and perhaps most surprisingly an utterly 'feminist' interpretation." 

With the public's interest piqued, director Andrew Dominik recently revealed why the de Armas vehicle is sure to stir up some controversy. 

Whether a promise or a threat, "Blonde" director Andrew Dominik said his Marilyn Monroe biopic has "something in it to offend everyone." In a May interview with Vulture, Dominik delved into themes explored in the upcoming Netflix film, which stars Ana de Armas as Monroe. Originally scheduled to film as far back as January 2011, Dominik alluded to societal context informing how the film is perceived. (It now has an expected December release.) 

"If it had come out a few years ago, it would have come out right when Me Too hit and it would have been an expression of all that stuff," Dominik said. However, the director deemed his film nuanced beyond those messages. "We're in a time now, I think, where people are really uncertain about where any lines are," he observed, making it the ideal climate for its release. "It's a film that definitely has a morality about it. But... I don't think it will be as cut-and-dried as people want to see it."

As for itss NC-17 rating — a restrictive and rare one for a star-studded film — Dominik couldn't care less. (According to Screen Daily, "Blonde" is the first Netflix Original film to receive such a rating.) "It's a demanding movie," Dominik told the outlet bluntly. "If the audience doesn't like it, that's the f***ing audience's problem... It's an NC-17 movie about Marilyn Monroe, it's kind of what you want, right?"