Rian Johnson is a filmmaker who has become a household name over the past few years, particularly through projects like Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the acclaimed whodunnit Knives Out. The latter project earned Johnson an Oscar nomination, and featured a stellar cast that includes Ana de Armas. But it turns out that the No Time to Die actress was originally going to pass as the role of Marta.
Marta is arguably the protagonist of Knives Out, and we follow much of the movie's through her particular perspective when we're not with Daniel Craig's investigation as Benoit Blanc. Ana de Armas gave a great performance in the role, which definitely helped her star power grow alongside her upcoming James Bond role. But the 32 year-old actress recently explained why she was initially unsure about the role, saying:
Things could have been very different. I really pay attention to what that little description is. I’m sure whoever did it wasn’t thinking about what that meant but for me, I was just like, ‘Oh no, I’m not doing this! What do you mean—caretaker, Latina, pretty?’ I’m very proud of being Cuban and being Latina and I will play the most Latina any Latina has ever played Latina. But it also doesn’t interest me that much, all the time. It gets very boring, very quickly and I want to do other things... and even if you’re playing a Latina, not all Latinas are the same... I want to think and believe that I can play anybody, anywhere in the world because the stories I want to tell are universal. I want to be able to tell any story.
Well, that was honest. Because while Knives Out would prove to be a great project for Ana de Armas, she wanted to be sure that the representation of her Latina heritage was being honored. What's more, she doesn't want to be typecast in one archetype, as the actress eager to play all types of roles moving forward.
Ana de Armas' comments to Flaunt might surprise moviegoers, especially considering how great the actress was in her role as Marta. But she provided a full understanding of her perspective at the time, and the reasons why she might have originally passed on Knives Out. In the end Rian Johnson's script and the role itself won de Armas over, and she joined the rest of the A list cast helping to make the project a reality.
In her conversation about Knives Out, Ana de Armas specifically mentioned the description of Marta during the casting process. She took issue with the few-word description of the character, worried about if Marta would be a fully formed character. Luckily the script was strong (Oscar nominated strong), and the actress' concerns about the role were quelled.
As for Ana de Armas' career, the sky is the limit moving onward. Fans are eager to see her 007 debut as Paloma in No Time to Die. Unfortunately, that movie has been delayed again due to global health issues. She'll also portray the legendary Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming biopic Blonde, in addition to a few other projects.
Knives Out will become a bonafide trilogy, with Daniel Craig returning to star as Benoit Blanc. That movie is currently in the development stage, with Rian Johnson being honest about his difficulty giving it a title. Ana de Armas' Marta isn't expected to appear, as the sequel is expected to follow an entirely different case, with a new cast of actors.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Ana de Armas as the actress continues working on film projects. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
