Marilyn Monroe's Estate Defends Ana de Armas' Accent in 'Blonde'
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The Cuban actress has faced criticism for her natural accent slipping through.
Since the Blonde trailer dropped earlier this summer, Ana de Armas has been facing criticism for her accent in the Marilyn Monroe-inspired film.
De Armas, originally from Cuba, reportedly worked with a dialect coach for nine months (via Screen Rant) to hone the accent she uses in Blonde, though, as many have pointed out since the release of the official trailer on July 28, her own accent still breaks through at times.
Twitter was not having it, which seems to be typical of the platform’s userbase these days.
“They rly made that whole a*** Marilyn Monroe movie and didn’t hire Ana De Armas an accent coach,” wrote one user.
“it looks good with no sound on. but ana de armas accent comes through so much for me it’s off putting. a bit disappointed as it looks good besides that,” wrote another.
“ok i love ana de armas but they really messed up with the casting of blonde i physically won’t be able to watch it because of this accent it sounds nothingggggg like marilyn,” it continued.
Some users jumped to her defense, writing, “What matters is not Ana de Armas accent, but her performance as Marilyn Monroe in this movie. Ana speaks English very well, but Americans are making unnecessary comments about her Cuban accent because she's not an American actress. It's pure racism and xenophobia,” or “let me remind those commenting on ana de armas' accent playing marilyn monroe that we have a long history of american actors botching accents of other nationalities in film and you don't blink twice. you'll survive.”
Now, Monroe’s estate is coming to de Armas’ defense. The film is a reimagining of Monroe’s life along the likes of Spencer, rather than a formal biopic, and though it’s not officially authorized by Monroe’s estate, the group is standing by her casting, as they shared with Variety.
“Marilyn Monroe is a singular Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history,” Marc Rosen, the president of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which owns Marilyn Monroe’s estate, told Variety. “Any actor that steps into that role knows they have big shoes to fill. 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!”
While Monroe’s accent may be iconic, it’s not the only thing about her that is, and it’s far from the most important facet of her personality or career.
Blonde premieres on Netflix on September 23.
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