Naomi Watts Suggests That Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe Biopic Is Still Happening
Earlier this year,Andrew Dominik(Chopper,The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) was one of two filmmakerslined up to make films based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. He was preppingBlonde, based on theJoyce Carol Oatesspeculative biography of the actress, withNaomi Wattsset to star. The Weinstein Company and Simon Curtis were preppingMy Week With Marilyn, with Michelle Williams.
The latter got in motion first, and is shooting now. Between that and the announcement that Mr. Dominik might beshooting another filmwith hisJesse JamesstarCasey Affleckby early next year, it seemed likeBlondewas on hold at the very least, and possibly dead. Naomi Watts made a few comments about it this week, however, makingBlondesound as if it will happen one day, and perhaps sooner rather than later.
TheNew Zealand Newsspoke to the actress as she promotedFair Game, and she said
It’s going to be a huge undertaking because everyone obviously has their own idea about who she was. It’s a high pressure thing to take on because of how iconic she was. But I’m just not there yet. I don’t know how I’ll go about it.
That outlet reports that the film will shoot in January, which is the same timeframe we’d heard for the collaboration featuring Casey Affleck.
(That one was said to be a Boston-based crime drama. Could some wires have got crossed, or is a little misdirection going on and Mr. Affleck is actually meant to appear inBlonde? That seems like a stretch, but the two reports definitely contradict.)
Meanwhile, Naomi Watts effectively echoed that anxious mindset toComingSoonwhen she said, “I’m not really there yet,” with respect to being ready to play Marilyn. She added,
It’s based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel ‘Blonde’ which is fictitious even though it’s obviously about Marilyn Monroe. We’ll see, we’ll see how things go. It’s not the glossy, gorgeous Marilyn Monroe we’re portraying here in a biopic. It’s a very meaty, intense project.
I’m happy to hear thatBlondemay still go forward. As much fun as it might be to seeKenneth BranaghplaySir Laurence OlivierinMy Week With Marilyn, the idea of Andrew Dominik tackling another one of America’s pop culture icons was too good to let go.My Week With Marilynseems entertaining but lightweight, andBlondesounds like the film that could really leave audiences with something to think about.
