It is a truth universally acknowledged that every actress, singer or socialite must eventually pose as Marilyn Monroe.   Being blonde isn’t even a pre-requisite anymore, as evidenced by Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox.

This year, the ante has been upped. It’s all about playing Monroe now.   There’s currently two films “competing” for the buzz — Naomi Watts in Blonde, and Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn.   Watts technically got her image out first at Cannes this year, but Williams’ came attached to the press release. And here she is, courtesy of Collider, who has a high-resolution version should you so desire it.

Well, she looks like Monroe — but arguably no more so than Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Drew Barrymore, or any other blonde/redhaired actress who has thrust out her cleavage, and offered up a breathy pout.  She looks like Williams-pretending-to-be-Marilyn, and no more distant or vague than Williams generally looks in photographs.

The biggest criticism is that she’s too small and thin to be Marilyn, and really “needs to eat a sandwich” which will inevitably spark debates in every comment field from here to Jezebel. One side will argue that “Marilyn was a teeny, tiny size 0, so Williams is perfect, shut up fat chicks!”, the other will scream that “Monroe was a size 12, and everyone knows it!” 

I’ve got no horse in that debate.  My issue is with her deathly True Blood pallor. Marilyn was pale, but not Bill Compton pale. This photo makes me look tan.

I’m also wondering what kind of performance it will be — bubbly caricature or maudlin and miserable with foreboding.  I’m guessing the latter, because Williams tends to favor the more sorrowful interpretations of a character.   We’ll see.  From now until the film lands in theaters though, I suspect the talk will be about curves … or the lack thereof.