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Marilyn Monroe Estate and Brad Pitt defend Ana de Armas amid criticism

Brad Pitt and the Marilyn Monroe Estate have come out in favour of Ana de Armas after her performance in the Blonde trailer was criticised

Ana de Armas in Blonde

Ana de Armas stars as Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in Netflix movie Blonde. The first trailer revealed de Armas in the role, teasing a glamorous look at the actor’s life and death. Some weren’t happy with the depiction, in particular de Armas’s accent, but both the Marilyn Monroe Estate and producer Brad Pitt have defended her acting.

“Marilyn Monroe is a singular Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history. Any actor that steps into that role knows they have big shoes to fill,” Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, owner of the Marilyn Monroe Estate, told Variety. “Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Ana was a great casting choice as she captures Marilyn’s glamour, humanity and vulnerability. We can’t wait to see the film in its entirety!”

It should be noted Monroe’s estate has not authorised Blonde, so its impression from the trailer is genuine. Tackling such a huge personality will always be contentious, and ultimately with someone like Monroe, it’s better to see what story is being told about her in full rather than running on a mere snippet.

Pitt, who’s one of the producers on the drama movie, spoke about the long process to get to de Armas. According to him, the James Bond star is part of the reason Blonde exists at all.

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“She is phenomenal in it. That’s a tough dress to fill,” he explained to Entertainment Tonight. “It was ten years in the making. It wasn’t until we found Ana that we could get it across the finish line.”

The official synopsis for Blonde reads: “Discover a life both known and unknown in this boldly imaginative film from director Andrew Dominik that explores the complicated life of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.”

Blonde will be available on the streaming service Netflix September 28.