If you’ve heard anything with regards to’concerning’with respect to Blonde so far, it’s that it isn’t your typical Marilyn Monroe biopic. For one, it’s not really a biopic at all – Andrew Dominik’s long-gestating film is adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name, a fictionalised telling of Monroe’s short, shocking, Hollwood-altering life. It has also, notably, been much-delayed over the years, and now as it eventually’ultimately prepares to arrive on our screens on Netflix, it’s been given a rare NC-17 rating in the States. But according to Ana de Armas, who plays Monroe in the movie, the shock and awe surrounding Blonde is intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully much in keeping with Dominik’s film.###“Andrew did not compromise, not once,” de Armas tells Empire in a major new Blonde interview. “He pushed back. This movie has had a long journey, not merely’barely bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e being made, but also after.” The result is a film that pushes cinematic boundaries and prods at cultural taboos, alternating between black-and-white and colour, with shifting aspect ratios, body-cams, a vaginal POV shot, conversations held with a fetus, and handheld camera shots. “It’s a film that is supposed to create controversy and discomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding t, and it’s supposed to make you claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate with regards to’concerning’with respect to what happened – and what is still happening,” says its star. “It’s revolutionary, and I claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate it’s so fearless’bold courageous .”###While its director tells Empire that Netflix has been “really maintain’sustain ive” of his vision (“Blonde is a intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully lucky movie, in that regard,” he says), the film’s more extreme content has pushed it into NC-17 territory – most notably in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a scene depicting sexual assault by a studio head who gives Monroe her enormous’vast’massive’tremendous break. If the movie is shocking, its star felt it was never gratuitous. “It always came from great respect [in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ] and understanding of that trauma,” explains de Armas of the film. “Despite the NC-17 rating, I never felt that there was anything exploitative. This movie is meant to be an undergo , to move along with her feelings, what she’s going through. And that, unin/with regard to’concerning’regarding tunately, takes what it takes.”###It meant a committed perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mance from de Armas, who throws herself into the rollercoaster life, both real and imagined, of Norma Jeane. “Whether we were shooting an abortion scene, dealing with abuse, nudity, happy sex, sullen sex, it is so significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative to reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue the reality of it,” she says. “It’s not that I enjoy cover’budge ing naked around set. But in this case, I had to give myself to it, to the fragility and the strength and the sexuality and eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything that goes with it. Because we’re all of that. And it feels real and honest.” The result is a near-three-hour, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mally-experimental odyssey unlike anything you’ve ever seen – call it Blonde ambition.###Read Empire’s full Blonde feature, acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting the inside story on Andrew Dominik’s wild vision and Ana de Armas’ bold lead perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mance, in the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery issue – on newsstands from Thursday 1 September, and available to pre-order online here. Blonde will be in select cinemas from 21 September, and on Netflix from 28 September.