The film “Blonde”, a biopic of the actress Marilyn Monroe, was enthusiastically received by the audience at the Venice Film Festival. At the end of the film’s premiere, which took place this Thursday (8/9), the work received a standing ovation for more than 11 minutes.
At the end of the standing ovation, director Andrew Dominik (“The Killing of Jesse James for the Coward Robert Ford”), lead Ana De Armas (“Deep Water”) and the rest of the cast were in tears. The film immediately entered the guaranteed bets of the 2023 Oscars, especially in the Best Actress category.
Although public recognition is important, Dominik and De Armas’s focus has always been on the figure portrayed there. They wanted to pay a real tribute to Marilyn Monroe. And their involvement with the work was such that they said they could feel her presence on set.
“We were chasing his ghost. His dust is everywhere in Los Angeles,” Dominik said hours earlier, during the film’s press conference at the Italian festival. “I really think she was very close to us, she was with us,” added Ana De Armas.
“She was all I thought about, she was all I dreamed of, she was all I could talk about. She was with me and it was beautiful. I think she was happy,” continued the actress. “Being in the same places she was, shooting at her house, was a very strong feeling that there was something in the air, and I think she was approving of what we were doing.”
“Blonde” is an adaptation of the book of the same name, by Joyce Carol Oates, which mixes reality and fiction to tell the story of the legendary movie star. The project had been in development for over 10 years, but Dominik found it very difficult to get it off the ground.
“Some things have a kind of emotional creative energy,” Dominik said, explaining why he didn’t abandon the project. “Some projects you participate in and they might grab your attention for a year or two, but ‘Blonde’ never let me go. Even when it fell apart in the past, I kept thinking about ‘Blonde’.”
The delay in production caused a change in the cast. The role of Marilyn Monroe, originally played by Naomi Watts (“The Book of Henry”), moved to De Armas after the director was impressed with her performance in the horror “Knock Before You Enter” (2015).
“I knew it was her. It was a bit like love at first sight: when the right person walks in the door, you know. The film came to life when we found it.”
The choice of the actress was essential for the film, as Dominik addressed the most controversial topics in the star’s life, from harassment to film producers to nervous breakdowns, but mainly the impostor syndrome.
Speaking of his character’s makeup, De Armas said his approach was based on “understanding, empathy and connection with his pain and trauma. I knew I had to open up and go to places that would be uncomfortable, dark and vulnerable. .. That’s where I found the connection with that person “.
“I felt like I was living it, I felt that weight, that weight on my shoulders and that sadness that was hard to get rid of, but I think I didn’t even want to protect myself from that,” she added, describing how she got carried away by the character.
When asked what reaction she expected from critics, the actress said, “I made this film to push myself and because I thought it was a gift. I didn’t make the film to make other people change theirs. opinions about me. Whatever happens, I carry the experience with me. This film has changed my life, what will be, will be “.
As much as Ana De Armas chooses to ignore the criticism, the criticism will not be able to ignore it. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called the performance “breathtaking”. “It’s a delightful piece of acting with a raw scream trapped inside.”
Deadline’s Damon Wise went even further, saying that “Ana de Armas carries the film on her shoulders” and claimed that the actress’s performance “is complete, fiercely emotional, yet complex in its nuances and in the way it explores many. paradoxes of an infantilized sex symbol. “
In addition to Ana de Armas, the cast includes Adrien Brody (“The French Chronicle”) as writer Arthur Miller and Bobby Cannavale (“The Irishman”) as baseball player Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn’s ex-husbands.
The film, produced by star Brad Pitt, arrives on Netflix on September 28.
Watch below for videos of Andrew Dominik, Ana De Armas and Brad Pitt’s reaction to applause from the audience.
Standing ovation for Ana de Armas at the world premiere of BLONDE # Venice79 pic.twitter.com/j4UQUleY1L
– Ana de Armas Updates (@ArmasUpdates) September 8, 2022
Ana de Armas reacts to the standing ovation of 11 minutes a #VeniceFilmFestival for #blonde pic.twitter.com/2Y4Du3vjVj
– Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 8, 2022
Brad Pitt during #blonde11 minutes of standing ovation #VeniceFilmFestival pic.twitter.com/6N40bl9Fu4
– Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 8, 2022
Source: Terra
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
