Amid Complaints of Ana de Armas' Accent in BLONDE Trailer, Marilyn Monroe's Estate Defends Her Casting

Since the release of the first trailer for the Marilyn Monroe film Blonde, some viewers have expressed skepticism in the casting choice of Ana de Armas as the classic bombshell because of her accent. She has the breathy style of Monroe, but her Cuban accent still peeks through, despite long and arduous training hours she put in getting her to emulate Monroe’s voice.

But the Marilyn Monroe estate is defending de Armas in the role, as they believe she has captured the essence of Monroe, and that is more important. Although the film is not authorized by Monroe’s estate, Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at ABG, the owner of Marilyn Monroe’s estate, told Variety:

“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. 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!”

De Armas previously told The Times of London that she spent nearly an entire year working on her Monroe accent for Blonde before filming started. The actor said, “It took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing and some ADR sessions [to get the accent right]. It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.”

Blonde is based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates. The drama reimagines the life of Monroe, from her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane through her rise to stardom. The supporting cast includes Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Julianne Nicholson, Xavier Samuel, and Evan Williams. The film will debut in competition at the Venice Film Festival, and Netflix will open Blonde globally on September 28th.