Dakota Johnson goes blonde to portray Marilyn Monroe in flesh impact
Dakota Johnson has undergone a dramatic transformation, debuting platinum blonde hair to portray Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming short film Flesh Impact. Newly released first-look images showcase the actress with Monroe’s signature curled hairstyle, bold red lipstick, and famous beauty mark, offering audiences an early glimpse of one of her most striking screen appearances to date.
Written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal, Flesh Impact is a 17-minute short film created to mark what would have been Monroe’s 100th birthday. Rather than telling the story of Monroe’s life through a conventional biographical approach, the project presents an imaginative exploration of her legacy by examining both the woman the world knew and the future she never had the chance to experience.
Johnson portrays Monroe during the height of her Hollywood career, while Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn plays an imagined older version of the screen legend. The cast also includes Sepideh Moafi and Peter Sarsgaard, adding further depth to the film’s unique interpretation of Monroe’s enduring influence.
Gyllenhaal has described the project as an opportunity to look beyond Monroe’s glamorous public image and reflect on the complexity, vulnerability, and resilience that defined her life. The filmmaker aims to celebrate Monroe not simply as a global celebrity but as a woman whose story continues to resonate with audiences around the world decades after her death.
Flesh Impact is set to make its world premiere at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival, where Ellen Burstyn will also be honoured with the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Following the release of the first images, Johnson’s transformation has already generated widespread attention, with many praising the actress’s remarkable resemblance to Monroe.
More than six decades after her passing, Marilyn Monroe remains one of cinema’s most recognisable and influential figures, remembered for classics including Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and The Seven Year Itch. With Flesh Impact, Gyllenhaal and her cast hope to honour Monroe’s lasting legacy while offering audiences a thoughtful and imaginative perspective on the Hollywood icon’s extraordinary life.
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