Marilyn Monroe's Estate Responds to Ana De Armas Cuban Accent Backlash

Last Thursday, Netflix finally dropped the official trailer for Blonde, its highly anticipated adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' fictionalized take on Monroe's life that previously made headlines for earning a NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association for sexual content. However, this isn't the only controversy the film's been involved in during its rollout, as a number of critics are also upset with de Armas' portrayal of the late Hollywood icon following the trailer's debut. And it's for a pretty questionable reason.

Despite de Armas taking nine months of professional dialect training, many commenters were clearly displeased by the Cuban-born actress' "distracting" accent, arguing that she was still "very Spanish-sounding" while others complained about it being a far cry from Monroe's signature breathy tone, as noted by TMZ.

At the same time though, the star's portrayal of the original blonde bombshell has also been met with plenty of critical acclaim, including from co-star Adrien Brody and even Brad Pitt, who called her performance "phenomenal" in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. And now, in the wake of the furor over her accent, it seems as if de Armas has gained another important champion of her work — specifically the people who take care of the screen legend's legacy.

In a statement shared with Variety on Monday, August 1, Marc Rosen, the president of entertainment for Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which owns the Marilyn Monroe Estate, called The Seven Year Itch star "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 continued before adding, "We can't wait to see the film in its entirety!"

de Armas has yet to respond to the criticism.

Photo via YouTube