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There’s something magical and awe-inspiring when an actor completely transforms themselves for a role. Whether or be a magical creature or a historical figure, there are always roles that show the depths in which actors can go. Throughout the past 50 years, many actresses have pushed their limits to capture the tortured spirit of legendary actress Marilyn Monroe.
Ever since her death in 1962, actresses have put on the blonde curls and sultry voice to capture the late star’s spirit. Whether it be for a powerful biographical piece or an episode in a mini-series, these actresses have been heels to fill.
The latest star to become Monroe in a film is Ana De Armas, who everyone has been praising for her powerful performance in the new Netflix movie Blonde. But many stars before her have played Monroe (honestly, much more than you realize!)
Whether it be playing Monroe herself or channeling her for a dream sequence, these actresses embodied Monroe on screen. From Uma Thurman to Blake Lively, these stars are the few who’ve been chosen to play Monroe on TV and in film. (Sorry to Madonna, but music videos don’t count in this slideshow!)
Check out which actresses have played Monroe on TV and in film below!
Ana De Armas in ‘Blonde’
The latest actress to play Marilyn Monroe is none other than Ana De Armas in the long-awaited Netflix film Blonde. She’s the first Cuban actress to portray the legend, a ground-breaking feat Armas took very seriously. She told Variety, “It’s a personal desire and ambition to play roles that I wasn’t supposed to play. To me, art is to be repeated and replicated and reinterpreted; that’s the whole point of culture. And I deserve that challenge.”
Michelle Williams in ‘My Week with Marilyn’
Michelle Williams spent months studying Marilyn Monroe for her critically-acclaimed role in My Week With Marilyn. She spent hours reading biographies, reading letters, watching films, and more, per an archived article from Vogue, which paid off when she earned an Oscar nomination for the role.
Kelli Garner in ‘The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe’
One of the latest actresses to play Marilyn Monroe was Pan Am alum Kelli Garner in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, which was a mini-series following the intimate life behind the icon. Ahead of the premiere, she told Today that she was “extremely apprehensive” about the role, adding, “It’s Marilyn Monroe, you know? Those are really, really big shoes. And I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off.”
Blake Lively in ‘Gossip Girl’
You read that right; Blake Lively channeled Marilyn Monroe for the 100th episode of Gossip Girl.
Uma Thurman, Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty in ‘Smash’
We didn’t just get one Marilyn; we got three in one project. Is this heaven? But no, seriously, Uma Thurman, Katharine McPhee, and Megan Hilty all played Marilyn in the 2012’s TV series Smash. Why did we get three Monroes? Well, the series was all about trying to find and cast someone to play Monroe in the musical Bombshell. Guess which one got the role?!
Charlotte Sullivan in ‘The Kennedys’
Charlotte Sullivan was cast as Marilyn Monroe for one episode of the mini-series The Kennedys, where she sang the iconic “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to both JFK and Robert Kennedy. The performance gained mixed reactions, but no one can deny she truly looked like the late icon.
Samantha Moron in ‘Mister Lonely’
Starring Samantha Moron as Marilyn Monroe, the 2007 comedy film Mister Lonelyfollows a young Michael Jackson look-alike who meets Marilyn Monroe and then goes to her star-studded commune.
Poppy Montgomery in ‘Blonde’
Ana De Armas’ Blonde was not the only film to take after the novel by Joyce Carol Oates, because back in 2001, Poppy Montgomery embodied Marilyn Monroe for the mini-series Blonde. This mini-series talked about everything from her childhood to rocky marriages.
Montgomery previously told Entertainment Weekly about when she told her mother about the role. “When I told my mother I got the part of Marilyn Monroe, she didn’t even bat an eyelash. She said, ‘Well, you’ve been rehearsing for it your whole life,'” she said.
Barbara Niven in ‘Rat Pack’
Back in the 1998 film Rat Pack, Barbara Niven portrayed Marilyn Monroe alongside Ray Liotta as Frank Sinatra, Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin, and Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis Jr. While it was more of a bit role, it definitely stayed with people.
Mira Sorvino & Ashley Judd in ‘Norma Jean & Marilyn’
For , we got more than one Marilyn Monroe, one from Mira Sorvino, and another portrayal from Ashley Judd. In the film, we see both sides of the star, Monroe (played by Sorvino) and Norma Jean (played by Judd!) The TV movie ended up being nominated for five Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards.
Susan Griffiths in ‘Pulp Fiction’
That’s right, Susan Griffiths played Marilyn Monroe yet again in the classic film Pulp Fiction.
Melody Anderson in ‘Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair’
Retired actress Melody Anderson also gave it her all when she played Marilyn Monroe in the 1993 film Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair, which revolves around the rumored romance between Monroe and Robert Kennedy.
Susan Griffiths in ‘Marilyn & Me’
Susan Griffiths in Marilyn & Me may be one of the most well-known with Marilyn Monroe lovers. Marilyn & Me is all about a man named Robert Slatzer who recounts his time with Monroe after learning she died. But Griffiths is the only star to play Monroe in multiple projects on both TV and film, specifically on Quantum Leap, Timecop, Dark Skies, and more, garnering over a dozen credits as playing Monroe.
Paula Lane in ‘Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn’
As the follow-up to Goodnight, Norma Jean, the 1989 film Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn follows a friend recounting the final days of Monroe’s life. Paula Lane starred as Monroe, which was her next to last film credit before retiring in the early 1990s.
Theresa Russell in ‘Insignificance’
Theresa Russell also played the blonde bombshell in the film Insignificance, the 1985 comedy following Joe DiMaggio, Albert Einstein, Monroe, and Joseph McCarthy who are stuck in a hotel room for one night in modern times (well, the 1980s!)
What it on Criterion.
Tracey Gold & Catherine Hicks in ‘Marilyn: The Untold Story’
Catherine Hicks entranced fans with her role in the TV movie Marilyn: The Untold Story, which followed her story and love lifethroughout her life. Along with Hicks, actress Tracey Gold played the younger version of Monroe.
Misty Rowe in ‘Goodbye Norma Jean’
The first actresses to play Marilyn Monroe was Misty Rowe in Goodbye Norma Jean, which follows Monroe when she was not famous and known as Norma Jean.
Watch it on Tubi.
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