De Armas-starrer Marilyn Monroe film to release in ’22

Ana de Armas-starrer “Blonde,” which is a fictionalised telling of Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe’s life will now release in 2022. Directed by Andrew Dominik, who also adapted the novel by Joyce Carol Oates, “Blonde” was one of the year’s most anticipated films by industry insiders and consumers, reports variety.com.

A specific release date in 2022 has not been set yet and is slated it to release on Neflix. In development since 2010, actresses like Jessica Chastain and Naomi Wats were once atached to the project. Cuban actor de Armas has been a rising star in Hollywood for the past few years with memorable roles in “Blade Runner 2049” and “Knives Out,” for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. The film will also star Oscarwinner Adrien Brody, Emmy nominee Julianne Nicholson and Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale. Neflix has an avalanche of projects waiting in the wings for awards consideration, many of which are undated but expected to drop in the calendar year.

It includes the directorial debuts of Halle Berry titled “Bruised,” Rebecca Hall’s “Passing,” Jeymes Samuel’s “The Harder They Fall” and Lin-manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick Boom!,” among many others. “Blonde” is produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tracey London, Brad Pit and Scot Robertson.

Warm and playful in person, the 31-year-old actress, who was born in Havana but spent much of her childhood in the small Cuban town of Santa Cruz del Norte, is in the midst of a whirlwind string of performances.

De Armas first gained the spotlight as a soulful hologram in 2017’s “Blade Runner 2049” and next has a hush-hush role in the upcoming James Bond movie, “No Time to Die,” where she reunites with her “Knives Out” costar Daniel Craig.

Ater studying acting in Cuba, she moved to Spain, quickly realising she didn’t have nearly enough money to stay afloat. But fate intervened: A friend of a friend of her brother let her crash on the couch. Soon ater, De Armas was geting cast in Spanish TV series and movies, although she knew she’d eventually travel to Hollywood, despite not speaking English. Her experiences as an outsider made “Knives Out” especially resonant, for while it’s largely a craty mystery/ comedy/thriller, De Armas also sees the movie as a commentary on the cruelty of the rich to those less fortunate.

De Armas prepared not just by watching Monroe’s movies but also studying her era. And she worked with an accent coach for a year. Whether it’s Marta or Marilyn, she wants to get it right. As a teenager, de Armas had no internet access and had limited knowledge of popular culture beyond Cuba. She was allowed to watch “20 minutes of cartoons on Saturday and the Sunday movie matinee.” Her family did not own a “video or DVD player” and she watched Hollywood movies in her neighbour’s apartment. She memorised and practiced monologues in front of the mirror, and decided to become an actress when she was 12. In 2002, aged 14, she successfully auditioned to join Havana’s National Theater School of Cuba.

De Armas has been a rising star in Hollywood for the past few years with memorable roles in ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and ‘Knives Out’