Ana de Armas tells why insecurity was key to Marilyn biopic success

LOS ANGELES: BAFTA nominee Ana de Armas says leaning into her own insecurities helped her understand Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe for her role in the biopic 'Blonde'.

Ana De Armas plays the American star in the Netflix film which chronicles Marilyn Monroe's life from Norma Jeane Mortenson to international star, reports mirror.co.uk.

While Marilyn was one of the most famous people in the world when she lived from 1926 until 1962, Ana has seen her own life thrown into the spotlight in recent years.

But she says being under the international microscope helped her find an affinity for the Hollywood icon which she channelled while playing the role.

She told the Backstage podcast: "Feeling nervous, feeling insecure, feeling at times I was not as good as I wanted to, feeling judged, all of those things that I was feeling worked, so I used them in the same way.

"I don't think Norma ever felt that she could live up to Marilyn, she didn't even understand the way people could see Marilyn. In a way those were the things that were happening to me. I felt that is exactly like she felt her entire life, and I've been through that."

Ana has been nominated in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category for her performance alongside acting titans Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, and Michelle Yeoh.

Fellow lesser known star Danielle Deadwyler is also nominated in the same category - with the winner set to be unveiled in a glitzy ceremony in London on Sunday night.

Ana was thrust into the spotlight during the years of lockdown when she was in a high-profile romance with actor Ben Affleck.

The pair drew attention with persistent public displays of affection as their romance burned bright from March 2020 to January 2021.

However, the relationship burned out and Ben moved on to reignite his romance with former fiancee Jennifer Lopez - who he finally wed in July last year.

Aside from drawing attention for her role in 'Blonde', Ana has also starred in murder-mystery film 'Knives Out' alongside Bond actor Daniel Craig.

And she was indeed even a Bond girl in the 2021 film 'No Time to Die' when she played a character named Paloma - a role for which she won praise and demand from fans for a spin-off.