Nepo baby actress is unrecognizable as Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe

A nepo baby actress looked unrecognizable as she transformed into late Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe for an upcoming short film. 

Dakota Johnson, 36, has been cast as a version of the beloved star in the project тιтled Flesh Impact, which was both written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. 

The 17-minute film shows Johnson portraying Monroe ‘at the height of her fame’ while Ellen Burstyn plays a ‘version of Marilyn the world never had a chance to see,’ according to a press release. 

In a first look pH๏τo, Johnson could be seen looking into the camera while wearing a platinum blonde wig. 

She opted for a classic makeup look which comprised of a light pink tint to her lips and a layer of mascara to her lashes. 

Other cast members that have joined the project include Gyllenhaal’s husband Peter Sarsgaard and The Pitt actress Sepideh Moafi. 

Nepo baby actress Dakota Johnson, 36, looked unrecognizable as she transformed into late Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe for an upcoming short film

The actress has been cast as a version of the beloved star in the project тιтled Flesh Impact, which was both written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal; seen in April in NYC 

The short film is described as ‘a love letter’ to Monroe, and is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, just three months after what would have been the late actress’s 100th birthday. 

Flesh Impact is presented by automotive brand Genesis and received ‘the blessings of the Marilyn Monroe estate holders,’ per the press release. 

Marilyn Monroe turns 100! Never-seen-before letters and pH๏τos of the movie icon go on display

‘I’ve always been fascinated by Marilyn Monroe,’ Gyllenhaal expressed in a statement. 

‘So, when Genesis first came to me with the idea of a celebratory project for her centennial, I knew I wanted to work together on bringing this story to life.’ 

She continued, ‘With Flesh Impact, we showcase the timeless icon we know and love through a modern lens that reclaims her story.’ 

The premise of the short film is: ‘A mysterious old woman auditions for a play at a small blackbox theater in New York City. 

‘As she describes her qualifications and her acting experience, secrets about her idenтιтy and the misconceptions about her life bubble to the surface.’ 

Daily Mail reached out to reps for Johnson, Burstyn and Gyllenhaal for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

The 17-minute film shows Johnson portraying Monroe ‘at the height of her fame’ while Ellen Burstyn plays a ‘version of Marilyn the world never had a chance to see,’ according to a press release; Monroe seen in 1954

The 17-minute film shows Johnson portraying Monroe ‘at the height of her fame’ while Ellen Burstyn plays a ‘version of Marilyn the world never had a chance to see,’ according to a press release; Burstyn seen above in the project

The short film is described as ‘a love letter’ to Monroe, and is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, just three months after what would have been the late actress’s 100th birthday

Gyllenhaal continued, ‘With Flesh Impact, we showcase the timeless icon we know and love through a modern lens that reclaims her story’; seen in February in London 

Johnson, who is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, is known for starring in other films such as The Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise, Materialists and Madame Web.

The actress has previously collaborated with Gyllenhaal on the 2021 psychological drama The Lost Daughter. 

Burstyn is no stranger to the screen and has starred in films such as The Exorcist (1973), Requiem For A Dream (2000), Interstellar (2014) and Pieces Of A Woman (2020). 

She received an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974). 

Along with the world premiere of Flesh Impact at the 2026 Venice Film Festival, Burstyn will also be honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. 

Gyllenhaal opened up about the short film during an interview with Vanity Fair, and admitted to having initial concerns that Johnson didn’t look like Monroe. 

‘Then I thought, “That’s ridiculous. Who cares?” she told the outlet. 

‘I don’t know that anyone even really totally knows what Marilyn looks like because she’s been so commodified and made into this myth and she’s very blurry in my mind.’ 

Burstyn is no stranger to the screen and has starred in films such as The Exorcist (1973), Requiem For A Dream (2000), Interstellar (2014) and Pieces Of A Woman (2020); Burstyn seen above (right) in The Exorcist 

‘I don’t know that anyone even really totally knows what Marilyn looks like because she’s been so commodified and made into this myth and she’s very blurry in my mind,’ Gyllenhaal said; Monroe seen in 1958 in L.A. 

Gyllenhaal described Flesh Impact as ‘a mixture of Marilyn and my fantasy of her.’ 

She added that the film ‘is about Marilyn and also about actresses in general and what it’s like to have that strange, very vulnerable and, at the same time, very powerful job.’

Gyllenhaal has directed other projects such as The Bride! (2026) and an episode of the miniseries Homemade (2020). 

The star, whose brother is actor Jake Gyllenhaal, is also known for her roles in Mona Lisa Smile, Monster House, Stranger Than Fiction and The Dark Knight. 

She added that the film ‘is about Marilyn and also about actresses in general and what it’s like to have that strange, very vulnerable and, at the same time, very powerful job’; Gyllenhaal seen in February in London 

Other stars that have played Monroe over the years include Michelle Williams, Ana de Armas and Mira Sorvino; Ana de Armas seen above as Monroe in Blonde (2022)

Monroe was born on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles and became a Hollywood icon. 

She starred in movies such as Niagara (1953), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955) and Some Like It H๏τ (1959). 

On August 4, 1962, Monroe pᴀssed away at the age of 36 from a barbiturate overdose inside her Brentwood home. Her death was ruled as a probable suicide by the Los Angeles county coroner. 

Other stars that have played Monroe over the years include Michelle Williams, Ana de Armas and Mira Sorvino.