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'My Week With Marilyn' Trailer: Michelle Williams Gets Emotional (VIDEO)

First Posted: 10/06/11 08:29 AM ET Updated: 12/06/11 05:12 AM ET

"All people ever see is Marilyn Monroe," the whisper cries. Though in this case, that's a good thing.

As the most famous woman in the world, the blonde icon of temptation lamented her position as global plaything, pained that her life's details were loose and out of her control, constantly twisted to fit whatever story a celebrity-starved world desired. So imagine being Michelle Williams, transformed with blonde wig and trademark beauty mark, trying to channel the star in one of this year's most anticipated prestige films.

There have been, incredibly, mixed reviews on her efforts to look like the star, but from the just-released first trailer from "My Week With Marilyn," there's no disputing her ability to channel the desperation, fear and playfulness that made Monroe perhaps the most famous woman on the 20th century.

She skates between depression and carefree ease in the story of Monroe's first -- and disastrous -- trip to England, to film a movie with the legendary Sir Laurence Olivier. The trailer, and some of the film, recounts her interaction and brief fling with Colin Clark, one of production assistants on the film, who wrote a book documenting the entire event.

Williams has spoken of her efforts to learn as much as she could about Monroe's personality and struggle, but in a recent interview with Vogue, she did allow that she channeled her allure, too.

"I do remember one moment of being all suited up as Marilyn and walking from my dressing room onto the soundstage practicing my wiggle," Williams tells the magazine. "There were three or four men gathered around a truck, and I remember seeing that they were watching me come and feeling that they were watching me go--and for the very first time I glimpsed some idea of the pleasure I could take in that kind of attention; not their pleasure but my pleasure. And I thought, Oh, maybe Marilyn felt that when she walked down the beach."

Opening at the New York Film Festival, the picture could earn Williams her third Academy Award nomination. Watch above and tell us if you think she'll be worthy.

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"All people ever see is Marilyn Monroe," the whisper cries. Though in this case, that's a good thing. As the most famous woman in the world, the blonde icon of temptation lamented her position as g...
"All people ever see is Marilyn Monroe," the whisper cries. Though in this case, that's a good thing. As the most famous woman in the world, the blonde icon of temptation lamented her position as g...
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05:28 PM on 10/08/2011
It takes a brave woman to take on MM- you got to get her props for that!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
emlr
"a man of knowledge is free"
01:21 PM on 10/08/2011
This is it! Charlize as Marilyn. Wow!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_hookups/222375626/
05:01 PM on 10/08/2011
Wow!!!!- is right!
05:44 AM on 10/09/2011
Damn, they should've picked her!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
emlr
"a man of knowledge is free"
03:15 PM on 10/09/2011
I never thought anyone could do Marilyn but Charlize is amazing!
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10:55 AM on 10/08/2011
major fail.

who are they kidding?
09:15 AM on 10/08/2011
It's a movie, for heaven's sake. She was an actress. They made a movie about an actress who was kinda an icon. No more, no less. Why is everybody acting as if they knew her in person. You watched her perform, and shevwas not a very good actress, according to critics. Get over it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MrPragmatic
05:51 PM on 10/08/2011
Actually most "critics" are in agreement that MM was a good actress and a brilliant comedian. Most of her acclaimed work (save for Bus Stop) was for acting in comedies. Indeed, Marilyn starred in Some Like it Hot, which is to be considered the the best comedy film of all time by many critics and film historians. I suggest you watch Some Like it Hot and The Seven Year Itch, both still hold up today as great comedic works.
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03:32 AM on 10/08/2011
"Sponsor-generated content."
10:38 PM on 10/07/2011
Only those who knew Marilyn personally knew what she was really like, so this seems more like a story about a blonde who spent some time with British snobs for a while. This is not the public Marilyn, so it makes it less interesting. Michelle Williams is a great actress, but I do not think she represents the iconic Marilyn.
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cornelison
College grad. Life-long liberal.
11:00 PM on 10/07/2011
She doesn't even look like her. Marilyn has become such a parody that real substance has been lost.
08:50 PM on 10/07/2011
Why does most authors of Marilyn claim to have an affair with her- RED FLAG!
08:40 PM on 10/07/2011
No. Nope. Uh-uh.
08:38 PM on 10/07/2011
So very disappointing. She not only doesn't look like Marilyn, she doesn't sound anything like Marilyn, and doesn't have any of Marilyn's mannerisms. The only thing that seems at all Marilyn Monroe is the hair.
I usually adore Michelle Williams' acting but this is just her stock character.
10:38 AM on 10/09/2011
did we watch the same clip?

I think she looks amazing and has captured Marilyn pretty well. There was one moment where I was like, "that's Marilyn!" This film looks great and a perfect way to tell a story about Marilyn. We all know her story, but nothing about this little trip to England...

Can't wait to see it!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
christina444
One must tremble indignation at every injustice...
08:33 PM on 10/07/2011
I think from this clip...she encapsulates the essence of Marilyn Monroe to a tee...
08:30 PM on 10/07/2011
The persona and the person was much closer than suggested, she even played herself in, "The Misfits".
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Carbon Forteetoo
Not enough characters to say anything clev
08:21 PM on 10/07/2011
Prettier than the original.
08:01 PM on 10/07/2011
gwen stefani would have been better.
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Bruce vain
07:56 PM on 10/07/2011
Stop pushing this movie okay I get so sic of these pre-ordained oscar movies..sheesh
01:02 PM on 10/07/2011
Now, this movie seems very interesting and i will attend a showing! She may not look like Marilyn but Michelle can ACT and from what I see.....she did an excellent job!!