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Musso and Frank Grill
“When I walk out of my dressing room, I am Norma Jean. And it’s always her, even when the camera is rolling.”
Marilyn Monroe (Ana de Armas)
Produced by Brad Pitt, Blonde encouraged director Andrew Dominik to shoot exclusively in and around Los Angeles. A guarantee of authenticity for this adaptation of the book by Joyce Carol Oates, whose action also takes place in large part in the city of angels. The opportunity for the team to exploit places that played a big role in the life of the real Marilyn Monroe as the restaurant Musso & Frank Grill.
Back to the golden age of Hollywood
With its vintage decor, reminiscent of the golden age of Hollywood, the Musso & Franck Grill needed no special amenities to shine on the screen. Indeed, in the cosy atmosphere of this prestigious establishment, time seems to have stood still since the time when Frank Sinatra came to drink martinis with his friends. The production of Blonde also took place in several studios, such as Raleigh Studios on Melrose Avenue, Warner Studios in Burbank and the Fox Studio Lot.
Becoming Blonde
Ana de Armas, who Andrew Dominik cast after seeing her in Eli Roth’s Knock Knock, had to work hard to become Marilyn Monroe. A work about which she confided to the microphone of the Inrockuptibles: “It was a little scary. I knew I had a huge responsibility, including to her. And I thought it was an honor to have the opportunity to play this role. But Andrew Dominik’s enthusiasm was stronger than my fear! It was also an opportunity for me to play a role that only a few years ago would never have been offered to a Latina actress! It was on my way, I took it. I am proud and happy about it.“
Ana de Armas won the New Hollywood award for best actress for her performance.
Musso & Frank Grill
A favorite restaurant of the stars since the 1920s, the Musso & Frank Grill has lost none of its splendor over the years.
Founded as François, this restaurant became Musso & Frank in 1925. Founded by a former Fiat employee exiled from Italy because of his opposition to the fascist regime, it quickly became the meeting place for celebrities in Los Angeles. Superbly decorated, it has seen big names like Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Dennis Hopper, John Fante, Charles Bukowski, Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, the Rolling Stones or even William Faulkner and Marilyn Monroe. He appears in many films and series such as Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, Blonde and The Kominski Method.
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Cult! music: 100 mythical music places [French Edition]
Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists!
Head to Melbourne, Australia for a stroll along AC/DC Lane before crossing the iconic Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in the company of The Beatles. Visit Janis Joplin‘s home in San Francisco and find out how Johnny Cash ended up playing his greatest hits to a crowd of prisoners in San Quentin. Travel the winding roads of Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and stop in Japan to catch up with Deep Purple, Phil Collins and Daft Punk. Drive down the Tina Turner Highway before entering some of the most legendary studios in music history. Go back to the troubled origins of Billie Holiday and make a pact with Robert Johnson at the famous crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists! Relive the Jimi Hendrix concert on the Isle of Wight before paying tribute to Bob Marley in Jamaica.
Produced by a team of pop-culture specialists and enhanced by numerous anecdotes, Cult! musictells the secrets of the places that made the history of music.
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Discover all the places Blonde on our map
By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.