Blonde, the film project directed by Andrew Dominik, stands as a bold exploration of American mythology. Dominik has long woven fame into his storytelling, a thread visible in earlier works like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Kill Them Softly. The movie examines romance through the lens of a public figure; a costume drama about a legend who remains a symbol as much as a person.
Ana de Armas: “Playing Marilyn opened dark doors”
In the accompanying discussion, de Armas reflects on the long journey to bring Marilyn Monroe to the screen. The performance required stepping into a persona that has lived in the cultural imagination for decades, and the process carried both excitement and fear. The actress notes that the ten years spent developing Blonde never felt simple or ordinary, and the experience of wearing the role is likened to accompanying a child to a party—loving the subject while watching for missteps or harm from others.
What draws you most to Marilyn Monroe?
Monroe embodies a striking paradox. She appears as an ideal of love and allure, while the shadows reveal a woman who faced deep pain. The book by Joyce Carol Oates played a crucial role by examining what the icon represents, why her image endures, and what it says about culture. The film uses fiction to probe these questions rather than trying to reconstruct a definitive biography.
Marilyn is often viewed as a collective construct… does this shape the approach?
Yes, the best approach aligns with Joyce Carol Oates’s perspective: fiction offers a way to explore the icon without clinging to clichés. The existing biographies lean on familiar tropes, presenting Monroe as a constant enigma rather than a person, which the film seeks to question and reinterpret.
How did audiences react to the violence scene Monroe shares with JFK, and what does it mean?
Responses were mixed. The most challenging aspect is framing consent in a way that resists easy categorization. While some viewers found the scene unsettling, the writer shakes off certainty, acknowledging that reception will vary. The response reflects the wider conversation about American moral standards and the gap between self-image and reality.
Does the film mirror Hollywood’s historical image and the industry’s darker sides?
The dream factory doubles as a nightmare factory. Blonde presents Monroe’s story as a kind of horror film, exposing the underbelly of a system that, at times, profits from glamor while masking exploitation. The sense that Hollywood has grown less magical is a recurring theme that underpins the narrative.
Why is it important for this project to leave a lasting cultural mark?
The goal is to create meaningful cinema. The filmmaker’s standards demand projects that feel right personally and artistically. Like Monroe, the creator did not grow up with a father figure and understands the tension between public perception and private life. That personal resonance drives a commitment to integrity and a refusal to produce work solely for financial gain. The emphasis remains on making films that carry genuine substance and artistic honesty.