Transforming Ana de Armas into Marilyn Monroe for the film Blonde has been a much-discussed feature movie. Blonde, directed by Andrew Dominik and currently available on Netflix, is a dramatised account of Monroe’s private life based on a novel by Joyce Carol Oates. Variety claims that de Armas spent two and a half hours in the cosmetics chair for the dramatic makeover. During a picture session for the film’s stills, de Armas was converted into the renowned icon, and a recent interview with makeup department leaders Tina Roesler Kerwin and Jaime Leigh McIntosh sheds light on the process. de Armas donned costumes that were near-identical to those worn by Monroe in the original antique images, and she posed in ways that were faithful to the original poses. The hair was the first area that proved difficult to change.
The makeup artists opted for a silicone cap rather than a bald cap since it would be more durable and comfortable to wear all day. The wig was a meticulous recreation of Monroe’s famous style, and De Armas’ natural hair was placed behind the silicone cap. According to Kerwin, “a bald head would not survive” after they saw what the day and routine looked like. The actual wig had to be adjusted during the day as well, depending on the image the team was going for in certain photographs. Kerwin said in the interview, “We wanted to identify our Marilyn and do the best we could to do that by finding our Marilyn in Ana, and not putting Marilyn’s hair and cosmetics on Ana.”
While filming, de Armas had to wear blue contact lenses, and Kerwin had to alter de Armas’ natural eye shape by inserting fake eyelashes. Important to the overall success of the makeover was the use of contouring to accommodate Monroe’s ageing features. Kerwin said, “When she’s young, her face looks rounder, and when she’s older, she has that classic appearance.” De Armas also painted multiple colours into her wig, experimented with different lighting, and mixed lipstick shades. Blonde has been the subject of praise and criticism ever since its debut on September 16. The photography, the intricacy, and particularly de Armas’ acting, have all garnered praise.
It has been widely criticised for its explicit sexual material and the way it portrays Monroe as a victim of sexual assault in a disturbingly patriarchal society. In the course of the film, she becomes a sad person who is increasingly alone. This shocking and difficult-to-watch portrayal of Monroe has been widely blamed for the film’s negative reception, with Dominik’s rather unsavoury comments about Monroe and her previous work, especially Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which he described as “a film about well-dressed whores,” serving as the icing on the cake for critics.
During an interview with the British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound Magazine, he made this surprising and unnerving comment, boasting that his film will “offend everyone” and that he is “not bothered with being tasteful.” Dominik said, “I believe she was definitely an enormously strong person,” in response to a question regarding Monroe. On the other hand, I don’t think she has what it takes to be successful in the modern sense. People want to believe that she is in charge of her life since everyone has their strong times. However, she aimed to ruin her own existence. To that end, I believe the film explores the significance of Marilyn Monroe.
The film Blonde may be shown in select cinemas and can also be seen on Netflix.