“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Blonde</a>” director Andrew Dominik claims that American audiences didn’t care for the Netflix biopic because it shattered their illusions of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marilyn-monroe">Marilyn Monroe</a> as an “empowered” woman.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">filmmaker</a> made the comments during the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. Dominik claimed Americans “hated” his movie because of how he approached the subject matter.
“Now we’re living in a time where it’s important to present women as empowered, and they want to reinvent Marilyn Monroe as an empowered woman. That’s what they want to see,” he said, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/blonde-andrew-dominik-backlash-marilyn-monroe-1235274686/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “And if you’re not showing them that, it upsets them.”
As for accusations of exploiting and sensationalizing Monroe’s story, Dominik said it wasn’t possible because she’s no longer alive.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US AND SAVE 30%.</a>
“Which is kind of strange, because she’s dead,” Dominik said of the criticism. “The movie doesn’t make any difference in one way or another.”
He continued, “What they really mean is that the film exploited their memory of her, their image of her, which is fair enough. But that’s the whole idea of the movie. It’s trying to take the iconography of her life and put it into service of something else, it’s trying to take things that you’re familiar with, and turning the meaning inside out. But that’s what they don’t want to see.”
Later, the Australian director claimed movies were becoming “more conservative.” Dominik compared current offerings to bedtime stories that are predictable and therefore comfortable. “But I don’t want to make bedtime stories,” he said.
“Blonde” stirred up controversy not just for allegedly “exploiting” Monroe’s legacy, but also for its portrayal of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/planned-parenthood-fumes-over-abortion-scenes-in-marilyn-monroe-flick-blonde">miscarriage and abortion</a>. Though Dominik insisted the Netflix project wasn’t intended to push one particular point of view, many pro-abortion activists thought these emotional scenes had pro-life undertones.
“I think the movie is pretty nuanced actually, and I think it’s very complex, but that doesn’t fit —  people are obviously concerned with losses of freedoms, obviously they are,” the filmmaker told The Wrap just after “Blonde” was released. 
“But, I mean, no one would have given a s*** about that if I’d made the movie in 2008, and probably no one’s going to care about it in four years’ time. And the movie won’t have changed. It’s just what sort of going on.”
Dominik accused critics of looking at “Blonde” “through this Roe v. Wade lens.”
“They’ve got a certain agenda where they feel like the freedoms of women are being compromised, and they look at ‘Blonde’ and they see a demon, but it’s not really about that,” he continued. “I think it’s very difficult for people to step outside of the stories they carry inside themselves and see things of their own volition.”

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

‘Blonde’ Director Says Movie Got Slammed Because Marilyn Monroe Wasn’t Shown As An ‘Empowered Woman’

CONTINUE READING

Two Indie Horror Flicks Take Unconventional Path To Topple ‘Star Wars’ At The Box Office

Agency Yanks ‘Dreamgirls’ Over School’s Mostly White Cast

Sydney Sweeney Trolls Critics With Racy ‘Euphoria’ Finale Photos

Donald Trump Jr. Offers An Intimate Peek Inside His Wedding Day

AI Company Will Clean Your Home For Free, But There’s A Catch

Spencer Pratt Gives Blunt Take On Celebrity Endorsements

Entertainment

Feminism

Marilyn Monroe

Movies

Netflix

U.S.

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— Entertainment —

‘Blonde’ Director Says Movie Got Slammed Because Marilyn Monroe Wasn’t Shown As An ‘Empowered Woman’