Dakota Johnson transforms into Marilyn Monroe in the first look at Maggie Gyllenhaal\u2019s new film, \u201cFlesh Impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday, Vanity Fair shared a picture<\/a> of Johnson, 36, looking unrecognizable as the late Hollywood icon \u201cat the height of her fame.\u201d<\/p>\n The outlet also gave a glimpse at Ellen Burstyn, 93, as an imagined version of Monroe \u201cthe world never had a chance to see.\u201d<\/p>\n Vanity Fair revealed the first look of Dakota Johnson as Marilyn Monroe in Maggie Gyllenhaal\u2019s new film, \u201cFlesh Impact.\u201d Courtesy of Genesis<\/p>\n Ellen Burstyn (seen above) is also starring in the film as an imagined version of Monroe. Courtesy of Genesis<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal, 48, directed and wrote the script for \u201cFlesh Impact,\u201d which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September to mark what would have been Monroe\u2019s 100th birthday.<\/p>\n The 17-minute short film also stars Gyllenhaal\u2019s husband, Peter Sarsgaard, and \u201cThe Pitt\u201d actress Sepideh Moafi.<\/a><\/p>\n Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair she immediately wanted to cast Johnson in the lead role, but she became concerned that the \u201cFifty Shades\u201d actress didn\u2019t look enough like Monroe. <\/p>\n \u201cThen I thought, That\u2019s ridiculous. Who cares?\u201d said Gyllenhaal, who previously worked with Johnson on 2021\u2019s \u201cThe Lost Daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson (pictured above) is playing Monroe \u201cat the height of her fame.\u201d Getty Images<\/p>\n Monroe (pictured above) died at age 36 in August 1962. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know that anyone even really totally knows what Marilyn looks like because she\u2019s been so commodified and made into this myth and she\u2019s very blurry in my mind,\u201d Gyllenhaal added.<\/p>\n Johnson, per Vanity Fair, used costuming including a short blond wig and signature mole to transform into Monroe.<\/p>\n Burstyn, meanwhile, instantly agreed to join the project when approached by Gyllenhaal.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that this role met Ellen at a particular moment where what it was offering to talk about and to think about and to dream about are things that she was interested in thinking and dreaming and talking about,\u201d Gyllenhaal shared. <\/p>\n Gyllenhaal said 93-year-old Burstyn (seen above) instantly agreed to join the project. Getty Images<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal (seen above) said she initially was worried Johnson didn\u2019t look enough like Monroe. Getty Images<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant more celebrity and pop culture news?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with Page Six Daily.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Overall, Gyllenhaal said the short film \u201cis very much a mixture of Marilyn and my fantasy of her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a lot of ways, this movie is about Marilyn and also about actresses in general and what it\u2019s like to have that strange, very vulnerable, and, at the same time, very powerful job,\u201d the \u201cDark Knight\u201d actress added.<\/p>\n The Venice Film Festival\u2019s logline for the film reads<\/a>: \u201cA mysterious old woman auditions for a play at a small blackbox theater in New York City. As she describes her qualifications and her acting experience, secrets about her identity and the misconceptions about her life bubble to the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal said the short film \u201cis very much a mixture of Marilyn and my fantasy of her.\u201d Baron<\/p>\n Johnson (seen above) looks unrecognizable as Monroe in the first look. Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images<\/p>\n