Marilyn Monroe’s estate jumped to Ana de Armas’ defense after the trailer for the upcoming Netflix movie “Blonde” sparked a stir.
After watching the trailer on July 28, fans rushed to social media to berate casting directors over De Armas’s accent in the film.
Many complained that the Cuban actress’s accent is too heavy in the film and that she doesn’t sound like Monroe at all.
“Am I the only one not surprised that Ana De Armas sounds bad in the Blonde trailer?” one critic tweeted. “Her accent is very heavy. It would take a long time to sound convincingly like Marilyn.”
Another added“I think Ana de Armas is a fantastic actress and looks great as Marilyn BUT I can still hear her accent in the Blonde trailer and it takes her out of her character for me.”
The criticism prompted Monroe’s estate to speak out.
Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, which owns the Marilyn Monroe estate, defended the Armas, saying, “Any actor who steps into that role knows they have big shoes to fill.”
“Marilyn Monroe is a unique Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history,” Rosen said in a statement to Variety.
“Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Ana was a great casting choice as she captures Marilyn’s glamour, humanity and vulnerability. We can’t wait to see the film in its entirety.”
Speaking to The Sunday Times last year, the actress revealed that it took her nine months to learn to speak like Monroe.
She called the process “great torture” and “so exhausting.”
“It only took me nine months of dialect coaching and practice and some ADR sessions,” she told the outlet.
“It was a great torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.”