Blonde star Ana de Armas on playing Marilyn Monroe, being Cuban and believing 'we can do anything' if 'given the chance'

Virgin Radio

14 Jul 2022, 12:28

Ana de Armas is due to set the screen on fire with her portrayal of the iconic Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe in new Netflix movie Blonde.

Speaking to ELLE about her role in the movie which 'boldly reimagines the life of Marilyn Monroe, exploring the split between her public and private selves', she shared her desire to not be put in a Cuban box.

She explained: "So that's my hope, that I can show that we can do anything if we're given the time to prepare, and if we're given just the chance, just the chance," she added. "You can do any film — Blonde — you can do anything."

The actor explained: "The problem is that sometimes you don't even get to the room with the director to sit down and prove yourself."

De Armas continued: "It's definitely changing; it's getting better. But it's hard to know now, being in my position, because I know it's not the same for everybody.

"And I feel like it's coming from filmmakers, that diversity has become a must. You have to do the right thing. Thank God."

Talking about playing a fictionalised Latina version of the Hollywood star, she said: "I do want to play Latina. But I don't want to put a basket of fruit on my head every single time."

De Armas previously told Netflix Queue about writer/director Andrew Dominik's vision when it came to portraying Monroe. She said: "His 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."

The Gray Man actor said of playing the late legend: "Fame is what made Marilyn the most visible person in the world, but it also made Norma the most invisible."

Blonde premieres on Sept. 23 on Netflix.