‘Blonde’: This is how Ana de Armas’s spectacular transformation into Marilyn Monroe was accomplished

Since last September 28th, ‘Blonde’, the film by Andrew Dominik with Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, is available on Netflix. A tape we have known for a long time that it would carry a tail. But above the controversy its protagonist emerges. De Armas is receiving rave reviews for his role as a Hollywood legend and his transformation is spectacular. For example, this video where we see in fast motion how Ana de Armas disappears and Marilyn Monroe appears thanks to the magic of makeup:

The make-up and hair departments had an important task: “find Marilyn in Ana, don’t put Marilyn’s hair and makeup on Ana”Tina Roesler Kerwin, head of the makeup team, explains to Variety. The transformation process takes about two and a half hours a day.

While the work of these departments is quite indisputable, Andrew Dominik’s vision with the film is giving a lot to talk about. Some critics condemn the fact that the director intends to denounce the abuses suffered by Marilyn Monroe by recreating and transforming her back into an object. In our review we report it “Dominik’s gaze is reductive and cold like that of those who reified Monroe”.

The novel’s author responds to criticism

Whoever wanted to join the debate now is Joyce Carol Oates, author of the novel from which the film is based. Writer throw a rope to the director, saying that ‘Bionda’ “it’s a brilliant cinematic work of art that obviously isn’t for everyone. I am surprised that in the post #MeToo era the crude exposure of sexual predation in Hollywood has been interpreted as “exploitation”. I’m sure Andrew Dominik wanted to honestly tell Norma Jeane’s story “. In more tweets he repeats that the film is not for everyone, that situations are shown with the cruelty with which they occurred and compares the diversity of opinions such as the Rorschach tests in which you have to interpret what you see in the inkblots: “Some see the exposure of Marilyn Monroe’s sexual abuse as ‘exploitation’, and others see it as a revelation of how a talented young woman was treated in Hollywood and beyond before #MeToo.”. Of course, he also believes that Ana de Armas’ interpretation is “sparkling”.