The actress stars as Marilyn Monroe in the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed film that celebrates what would have been Monroe’s 100th birthday
Credit: Genesis
NEED TO KNOW
- Dakota Johnson stars as Marilyn Monroe in Flesh Impact, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, celebrating what would have been the late star’s 100th birthday
- The film reimagines Monroe’s life, featuring Ellen Burstyn as an alternate version of the iconic actress
- Flesh Impact will premiere at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival and also stars Peter Sarsgaard and Sepideh Moafi
Dakota Johnson is transforming into one of Hollywood’s most notable stars for her latest role.
On Monday, July 27, global automotive brand Genesis announced it has partnered with Maggie Gyllenhaal to tell the story of Marilyn Monroe’s life like never before, marking what would have been her 100th birthday.
Gyllenhaal, 48, directed Flesh Impact, which will see Johnson as “Monroe at the height of her fame, while Ellen Burstyn stars as a version of Marilyn the world never had a chance to see,” according to a press release.
Credit: Genesis
“I’ve always been fascinated by Marilyn Monroe. 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,” Gyllenhaal said in a statement.
“With ‘Flesh Impact,’ we showcase the timeless icon we know and love through a modern lens that reclaims her story,” the Bride! actress continued.
Gyllenhaal also spoke exclusively to Vanity Fair about the film, admitting she was hesitant to direct such an important project.
“I knew, of course, her major performances and I knew the general performance that she had put into the world when she was alive,” Gyllenhaal told the outlet of what she previously knew about Monroe. “But I thought, I don’t know if I’m the woman for this job. Let me just take a minute and see what comes up.”
Monroe dominated the entertainment industry in the 1950s and early 1960s before her death at the age of 36.
The Los Angeles Police Department called her death “possibly accidental,” while the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office ruled it a “probable suicide.” Theories of a cover-up have also followed her passing.
Some of Monroe’s biggest films include Some Like It Hot, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which famously featured her performing the song, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”
Credit: Genesis
“I find her acting so fascinating — weird and wild and very joyful, mixed with terribly upsetting all at once,” Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair. “I kind of wondered what would’ve happened if she’d had 60 years to herself. What might be different about the work that she would do now?”
In addition to Johnson and Burstyn, 93, Flesh Impact, “a love letter to one of cinema’s most enduring icons,” also stars The Pitt’s Sepideh Moafi and Gyllenhaal’s husband, Peter Sarsgaard, per the press release.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I’m just always amazed by her — not just talent, but bravery,” Sarsgaard, 55, told PEOPLE of Gyllenhaal in March.
Flesh Impact’s world premiere is set for the 2026 Venice International Film Festival in September.
Read the full article here
