Dakota Johnson stuns as Marilyn Monroe in first look after director doubted casting
Forget Dakota Johnson — the actress looked every bit the blonde bombshell as she transformed into Marilyn Monroe.
A new set photo offered fans a first glimpse at Johnson's striking new role in "Flesh Impact." The short film, written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September.
The shocking transformation is just one piece of Gyllenhaal's fresh take on the Hollywood legend.
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Instead of a traditional biopic, "Flesh Impact" imagines Monroe beyond the platinum hair and red lipstick, exploring the woman behind one of pop culture's most enduring personas.
Gyllenhaal first worried Johnson didn't look enough like Marilyn Monroe to play the part.
"Then I thought, ‘That’s ridiculous. Who cares?’" she told Vanity Fair. "I don’t know that anyone even really totally knows what Marilyn looks like because she’s been so commodified and made into this myth, and she’s very blurry in my mind."
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For "Flesh Impact," Johnson portrayed Marilyn Monroe at age 36, the age at which the Hollywood icon died in 1962, while Ellen Burstyn played a fictionalized older version of the blonde bombshell.
The 17-minute short film aims to explore Monroe beyond her enduring public image. Rather than being a traditional biopic, the film blends reality and imagination to examine her identity, legacy and the experience of being an actress in honor of her 100th birthday.
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"I’ve always been fascinated by Marilyn Monroe," Gyllenhaal said in a press release. "So, when Genesis first came to me with the idea of a celebratory project for her centennial, I knew I wanted to work together on bringing this story to life.
"With ‘Flesh Impact,’ we showcase the timeless icon we know and love through a modern lens that reclaims her story," she added.