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Ana de Armas Is A Spitting Image of Marilyn Monroe In ‘Blonde’

Headshot of Ana de Armas, July 2022 (Photo Credit: Mike Marsland / WireImage / Getty Images)
Headshot of Ana de Armas, July 2022 (Photo Credit: Mike Marsland / WireImage / Getty Images)

The film Blonde is set to release in the fall of 2022 and the new trailer has provided a glimpse into Ana de Armas‘ portrayal of the late and iconic Marilyn Monroe. We just have to say, the resemblance is uncanny.

Marilyn Monroe’s iconic looks

Headshot of Marilyn Monroe
American actress, singer, model and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. (Photo Credit: Frank Povolny / Twentieth Century Fox / Sunset Boulevard / Corbis / Getty Images)

The biopic, which is based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, is a feminist film meant to resonate with contemporary artists. It takes a deep look into the life of Marilyn Monroe, from her childhood as Norma Jeane to the peak of her stardom. It sheds light on the struggles she faced in her life, as well as her many romantic relationships.

Ana de Armas is a spitting image of Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe and Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe
(L) Marilyn Monroe loses control of her white dress over a grate in an iconic moment, (R) Ana de Armas depicts the iconic moment in the 2022 film, ‘Blonde.’ (Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images and Plan B Entertainment / Netflix / MovieStillsDB)

Above, de Armas is seen absolutely nailing the body language that Monroe used when the grate blew wind underneath her white halter dress. From the earrings to the curls, the two look like twins.

Marilyn Monroe and Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe
(L) Marilyn Monroe performing in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953), (R) Ana de Armas depicting Marilyn Monroe in her role in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ in the 2022 film, ‘Blonde.’ (Photo Credit: Trailer screenshot / Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain and Plan B Entertainment / Netflix / MovieStillsDB)

De Armas’ depiction of Monroe during the 1953 film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, is almost impossible to differentiate from the original. The dress, the jewelry, and even the expressions on their faces are eerily similar.

Marilyn Monroe and Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe
(L) Marilyn Monroe poses for a pinup photo, (R) Ana de Armas portrays Marilyn Monroe getting ready for the pinup photo shoot in the 2022 film ‘Blonde.’ (Photo Credit: George Rinhart / Corbis / Getty Images and Plan B Entertainment / Netflix / MovieStillsDB)

De Armas does Monroe’s sultry pinup photo justice, featuring a ruched bodysuit similar to Monroe’s and the same wispy blonde curls. The comparison wouldn’t be complete if Armas didn’t sport Monroe’s iconic beauty mark as well.

The actress spent an entire year prepping for her role as Monroe. In order to nail all of the iconic characteristics the world remembers Monroe for, de Armas underwent extensive preparation, telling The Sunday Times, “it only took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing, and some ADR [automated dialogue replacement] sessions. It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.” But it wasn’t just Marilyn’s voice she had to nail.

Prepping for the role was long and difficult

Headshot of Ana de Armas
Cuban actress Ana de Armas arrives for the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2020, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo Credit: VALERIE MACON / AFP / Getty Images)

De Armas further described the intensity of research required for this film. She explained: “I read Joyce’s novel, studied hundreds of photographs, videos, audio recordings, films – anything I could get my hands on. Every scene is inspired by an existing photograph. We’d pore over every detail in the photo and debate what was happening in it. The first question was always, ‘What was Norma Jeane feeling here?’ We wanted to tell the human side of her story. Fame is what made Marilyn the most visible person in the world, but it also made Norma the most invisible.”

All that hard work was for good reason, as she looks and sounds almost exactly like Marilyn Monroe. The new trailer has been released by Netflix and the film is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, 2022.

Samantha Franco

Samantha Franco is a Freelance Content Writer who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Guelph, and her Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Western Ontario. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. Stepping away from her academic career, Samantha previously worked as a Heritage Researcher and now writes content for multiple sites covering an array of historical topics.

In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder!

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