"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.