Actress Blanca Blanco pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe
Actress Blanca Blanco pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe and emulates some of Monroe’s most iconic snapshots.
Blanca Blanco insists gentlemen prefer blondes.
In honor of the 1959 comedy “Some Like it Hot,” which turns 60 on March 29, the actress paid tribute to its star Marilyn Monroe by stripping down like the icon.
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The film, which also features Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, tells the tale of two musicians who witness a mob hit and then flee the state in an all-female band disguised as women with hilarious results. Monroe played Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, a "dumb blonde" with a good heart.
“Some Like it Hot” was directed by Billy Wilder, who previously worked with Monroe in the 1955 movie “The Seven Year Itch."
Blanco, 38, grew up watching films starring the Hollywood sex symbol, which inspired her acting career. For her titillating shoot with photographer Filip Shobot, the "Showgirls 2" actress dressed up as Monroe from a famous shoot titled “The Last Sitting,” which was shot by Bert Stern in June 1962.
Monroe passed away on August 5, 1962, at age 36 from a barbiturate overdose.
Blanco also found inspiration from Monroe’s session with photographer Andre De Dienes, who first met the then-unknown star in 1945 when she was only 19 years old. According to the British Journal of Photography De Deines, who alleged to be one of Monroe’s lovers, photographed her privately in 1945, 1946, 1949 and 1953. One of the many photographs from their session captured a seemingly nude Monroe covered by a white sheet in bed as she posed alongside milk and cookies.
Actress Blanco pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Hair and makeup by Mina Abramovic. (Filip Shobot)
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Blanco opted for a $750 white robe by Los Angeles-based designer Limerence.
Back in January of this year, Blanco told The Hollywood Reporter she received death threats and “tons of hate mail” after wearing a bright red gown with a thigh-high slit and a plunging neckline during the 2018 Golden Globes while Hollywood’s biggest stars chose to step out in black outfits to keep the spotlight on the sexual harassment and assault scandals plaguing the film industry.
“I’ve always done my own thing, but I didn’t think it would be a big deal for me to wear a red dress to the Golden Globes last year,” she admitted to the publication. “From what I had heard, only the nominees were going to wear black, and I thought it would be silly for me to show up in black.”
Actress Blanco pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Hair and makeup by Mina Abramovic. (Filip Shobot)
“Atria Couture made my dress,” she added. “I wanted to stand strong and I felt so honored to be there, but what happened after I walked the red carpet was crazy. Photos of me went viral, I became a trending topic on Twitter and I got death threats and tons of hate mail.”
Blanco said she had no idea she would get slammed for wearing red instead of black.
“I support [Time's Up] — it had nothing to do with not supporting the cause,” she explained. “It was incredible to see all the courageous women come forward over the past year. I take responsibility for wearing color while everyone else wore black.”
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Actress Blanco pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Hair and makeup by Mina Abramovic. The $750 white robe is by Los Angeles designer Limerence. (Filip Shobot)
Still, Blanco said the bold fashion move only boosted her career. In fact, she still owns the infamous dress.
“Some good things happened,” she said. “My social media following tripled, and my IMDb profile was ranked in the top 30 for several weeks. I was able to stay busy all year, and I did some films and magazine photo shoots.”
At the time of the controversy, Blanco told Fox News she didn’t mind skipping the suggested dress code.
“I love red,” she explained. “Wearing red does not mean I am against the movement. I applaud and stand by the courageous actresses that continue to break the cycle of abuse through their actions and fashion style choices. It is one of many factors leading women to a safer place because of their status. I am excited about the Time’s Up movement; true change is long overdue.”
The California-born talent said she was aware her latest style choice could garner criticism among women who felt she should be taking a public stand against sexual abuse in Hollywood.
In 2018, Blanca Blanco chose a risque ensemble for the red carpet. (Getty)
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“It hurts my feelings, but I guess it’s part of being in our industry,” said Blanco. “We have people who appreciate you and others that don’t. The designer Atria Couture did an amazing job with my dress and I appreciate them for dressing me."
She added, “Shaming is part of the problem.”
The black ensembles worn by the stars coincided with the launch of the Time’s Up group, which created a legal defense fund for both women and men who believe they’ve been discriminated against or harassed in the workplace.
More than 300 members of the entertainment business signed a “letter of solidarity,” resulting in a coalition aiming to combat harassment in the workplace “across all industries.”
At the time, Time's Up also backed the movement for women to wear black at the Golden Globes in solidarity with those who have been sexually harassed.
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