Everything to Know About Netflix's Marilyn Monroe Movie Blonde Starring Ana de Armas

Netflix Ana de Armas in Blonde (2022)

Ana de Armas is transforming into one of history's most famous actresses with her upcoming film, Blonde. 

The Knives Out actress plays Marilyn Monroe in the movie, which is set to be released on Netflix later this year after it was originally scheduled to premiere in 2021.

To prepare for her role as the iconic movie star, de Armas revealed she went bald every day on set to achieve Monroe's signature platinum hair.

"I had to go bald every day, because [of] the blonde wigs," she said in a March interview with Byrdie. "[Marilyn] went through different shades of blonde from golden to really platinum, so for these wigs that are beautifully made, you can't have anything dark underneath, so we had to make a bald cap every single day from my forehead to [around] my whole head."

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De Armas added that she sat through "three-and-a-half hours every day of makeup," telling the outlet, "I think I actually cried the first time I saw [the wigs] on. Probably because I was terrified. But I'm so proud."

While de Armas underwent an impressive physical transformation for the film, she also had to put herself in Monroe's headspace, she explained.

"She went through a lot of things that were not easy at the time—it would not even be easy right now. I was lucky I had months to prepare. We don't usually have that luxury—we usually have to rush into the project and make it as you go, but that one I really had the time to study," she said. "There's so much material about her, like so much to watch and listen to. It's incredible."

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Ahead of the film's release, here's everything to know.

What is Netflix's Blonde about?

Based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, the film "boldly reimagines the life of Marilyn Monroe, exploring the split between her public and private selves," per the official tagline from Netflix.

Director Andrew Dominik teased the film even further in an interview with Vulture saying, "It's a film that definitely has a morality about it. But it swims in very ambiguous waters because I don't think it will be as cut-and-dried as people want to see it." He added, "There's something in it to offend everyone."

De Armas told Netflix Queue that Dominik's "ambitions were very clear from the start: to present a version of Marilyn Monroe's life through her lens." She added, "He wanted the world to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane. I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen." 

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Who stars in Netflix's Blonde?

Along with de Armas, Blonde also stars Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Julianne Nicholson, Xavier Samuel, and Evan Williams.

Before de Armas was tapped to play Monroe, both Jessica Chastain and Naomi Watts had been attached to Blonde, which Variety reports has been in development since 2010.

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What is the rating for Netflix's Blonde?

In March, it was announced that the MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating "for some sexual content." NC-17 is a higher classification than an R rating and means no one under 17 years old can be admitted to see the movie, whereas for rated-R films, those under 17 can see the movie with a parent or guardian.

Is there a trailer for Netflix's Blonde?

Netflix shared the first teaser trailer for the upcoming film in June, which shows flashes of de Armas' Monroe onstage and in front of cameras, recreating the breezy white dress moment over a New York City subway grate. In July, Netflix shared the official trailer for the film.

When will Netflix's Blonde be released?

The film is set to hit Netflix on Sept. 23.