Marilyn Monroe's estate defends Ana de Armas' casting in the Netflix biopic 'Blonde'

Marilyn Monroe's estate has come to the defense of actor Ana de Armas, who faced criticism online over her accent in the trailer for the Netflix biopic "Blonde."

Two of the leaders of the entertainment company that oversees Monroe's estate said in statements Tuesday that they support the decision to cast de Armas in the movie, an NC-17 psychodrama scheduled for release next month.

"It’s thrilling to see all of the different portrayals of her by celebrities and actors from Kim Kardashian to Michelle Williams and now Ana De Armas," said Nick Woodhouse, Authentic Brands Group president and chief marketing officer.

"There are no rules when it comes to how an artist can honor her legacy. We embrace new interpretations of Marilyn that pay homage to her iconic star power, beauty and humanity, and bring her into relevant cultural conversations."

Kardashian wore Monroe’s famed “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown to the Met Gala in May. Williams played Monroe in the 2011 film “My Week with Marilyn,” earning an Oscar nomination for her performance.

Marc Rosen, the president of the entertainment division at Authentic Brand Groups, said: "Marilyn Monroe is a singular Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history. Any actor that steps into that role knows they have big shoes to fill. 

"Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Ana was a great casting choice as she captures Marilyn’s glamour, humanity and vulnerability," Rosen added.

The statements from the estate were first reported by Variety.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJudge guts noncitizen voting law used in Trump administration’s election push

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhite House plans travel for Trump in at least 17 states ahead of the midterms

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe prosecutor at the center of the Cornell maelstrom

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

The trailer for "Blonde" was released last week, drawing equal parts praise and scrutiny online — some of it from social media users who said that de Armas, 34, does not sound like the legendary star of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "The Seven Year Itch."

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJudge guts noncitizen voting law used in Trump administration’s election push

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhite House plans travel for Trump in at least 17 states ahead of the midterms

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe prosecutor at the center of the Cornell maelstrom

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

"Blonde" was adapted from a fictionalized novel of the same title by author Joyce Carol Oates. The movie was shot largely in black-and-white and directed by Andrew Dominik, who made the violent crime dramas "Chopper" and "Killing Them Softly."

De Armas, who has appeared in the films "Knives Out" and "No Time to Die," said she spent nearly a year working on her accent for "Blonde." She told The Times of London that "it took me nine months of dialect coaching and practicing and some ADR” [re-recording].

"It was a big torture, so exhausting," she added.