Marilyn Monroe and her legacy will be reconsidered in the latest CNN Original Series. A press release has announced that the four-part docuseries “Reframed: Marilyn Monroe” will premiere January 16. The project is narrated by two-time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain and produced by RAW (CNN’s “Three Identical Strangers”).
Featuring commentary from Monroe’s friend Amy Greene, critics Angelica Jade Bastien and Christina Newland, and actresses Ellen Burstyn, Amber Tamblyn, and Mira Sorvino, “Reframed: Marilyn Monroe” “retraces Monroe’s story from budding starlet to Hollywood power-broker, as she navigates the treacherous waters of Hollywood’s casting couch culture and bravely speaks out about abuse at a time when silence was the norm,” per the source. The docuseries seeks to “dismantle” the widely accepted narrative that casts Monroe as, alternatively, “a sex icon” and “a tragic victim.”
“The legend of Marilyn Monroe has endured for decades, but we wanted to examine the woman behind the legend,” said Amy Entelis, EVP for Talent & Content Development for CNN Original Series and Films. “The series reveals aspects of Monroe that pay tribute to the pioneer she was and shows how her story connects to the struggles women face in Hollywood today.”
Executive producer for RAW Sam Starbuck added, “We were excited to work with CNN again on this project to re-evaluate the life and legacy of this complex, fascinating woman. She was a trailblazer, courageously challenging the misogyny of 1950’s America in ways that feel modern today. She took on the male powerbrokers in Hollywood and won, becoming the most famous and recognizable woman in the world.”
“Some Like It Hot,” “The Seven Year Itch,” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” are among Monroe’s many notable credits. She has been the subject of documentaries including “Love, Marilyn” and “Marilyn Monroe: Still Life.” Michelle Williams received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn.”
Chastain has garnered Oscar buzz for her leading turn in last year’s “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” She previously received nominations for “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Help.” She just optioned the TV rights to Jessamine Chan’s debut novel, “The School for Good Mothers,” earlier this week. She and “Finding ‘Ohana” director Jude Weng will executive produce an adaptation. You can catch Chastain next in spy thriller “The 355,” out tomorrow, January 7.
“Reframed: Marilyn Monroe” will air back-to-back episodes on January 16 and January 23 on CNN, and will subsequently be available On Demand. Check out a trailer on CNN’s website.
