Marilyn Monroe has prevailed as one of the most spectacular and trailblazing pop-cultural icons decades after her tragic premature demise. This breathy-voiced beauty has a long train of ardent followers who were quite put off by the idea of actress Ana de Armas set to reprise her role. Critical of her Cuban accent, they were dismissive of the latter. When Andrew Dominik’s Blonde received a 14-minute standing ovation during its opening at the Venice International Festival, the actress was visibly relieved, with happy tears streaking her cheeks.
With Blonde set to premiere on Netflix pretty soon, it is the streamer’s first-ever NC-17 production, albeit with the titanic controversy surrounding its release for quite some time.
From unprecedented delays to flaky production status, Dominik and his crew have been through a lot of upheavals and the ovation is a well-deserved pat on the back. While it takes the anticipation up a notch, viewers are excited to see what the film has in store.
Here is everything we know about Netflix’s upcoming film, Blonde:
Everything we know about the Ana de Armas Netflix film ‘Blonde’
When is Blonde coming to Netflix?
Blonde is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on September 28th, 2022.
What is Blonde all about?
Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ eponymous novel, Blonde is a creative imagination of Marilyn Monroe’s life and career. It examines her quest where she went from being Norma Jean to a beloved and highly coveted world-famous sex symbol before tragically passing away at the age of 36. While it traces the various trials and tribulations of her life and career, it also emphasises the romantic relationships she had, the pressure she faced and the person she was behind the dazzle and glimmer of the screen.
It is a commentary on the dark side of fame, the identity crisis and the effect of Holywood megalomania and resulting trauma on a person’s life and career.
Directed by Andrew Dominik, the film is produced by Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner. It features music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.
Who are the cast members in Blonde?
Blonde has an extensive ensemble cast. Some of the major roles include Ana de Armas as Norma Jean aka Marilyn Monroe, Adrien Brody as Arthur Miller, Julianne Nicholson as Marilyn’s mother, Gladys, Caspar Phillipson as President John F. Kennedy, Tim Winters as George Sanders, Ravil Isyanov as Billy Wilder, Tygh Runyan as Father, David Warshofsky as the alleged rapist, Mr Z, among others.
Other actors in prominent roles include Sara Paxton, Bobby Cannavale, Toby Huss, Evan Williams, Spencer Garrett, Catherine Dent etc.
Why is Netflix’s Blonde controversial?
Blonde is the first-ever Netflix film to receive an NC-17 rating which indicates it is an adult film. The graphic sexual content in the film prompted the streamer to rate Dominik’s film accordingly. Netflix directors were allegedly miffed with how explicit the scenes were before prompting Dominik to redo the work, leading to an unprecedented delay in release.
It also likely features a disturbing scene of sexual assault where a young Norma Jean is taken advantage of by a producer. Dominik has promised to “offend everyone”. He said, “[Blonde] has a morality about it. It swims in very ambiguous waters because I don’t think it will be as cut-and-dried as people want to see it.”
