The Long Curse Ana De Armas Faces For Portraying Marilyn Monroe

“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.”