The 2021 Oscars may be on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean movie fans can’t start thinking about next year’s awards season. A sure-to-be frontrunner is Aaron Sorkin‘s Lucille Ball biopic Being The Ricardos, starring Nicole Kidman as the ginger comedian and Javier Bardem as her husband, Desi Arnez. A few photos have leaked from the set, and The Daily Mail nabbed some photos of the two actors in some impeccably tailored costumes. While there has been some backlash to the casting of the film, it’s safe to say that movie magic will bring it all together.
Sorkin was quick to clear up any confusion about the film, revealing that it was not a straightforward biopic or a remake of I Love Lucy. “I think that the people thought that we’ve cast them as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo,” Sorkin explained to Entertainment Tonight. “The film takes place during a production week of I Love Lucy — a Monday table read to Friday audience taping, with a whole bunch of long flashbacks which are telling the story that got us here — and because there’s a table read, there’s rehearsals and then there’s tape night, we do see moments of them being Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. We see moments from an episode of I Love Lucy. But mostly they are playing Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. And they’re going to be fantastic. These are two of the greatest actors ever.”
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Kidman took over the role after Cate Blanchett dropped out and is eager to tackle the acting challenge. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I would love to give it a go,’” Kidman explained to Variety about her casting. “With Aaron’s words and his direction and Javier … that’s kind of a wonderful prospect to, you know. But yikes, off we go. Give it a go. Try my best — see if I can do it.”
“I love Lucille, having looked now and delved into her,” she continued. “She’s an amazing woman. I’m very excited for people to see what Aaron found out about her and the way he’s interpreted Desi and Lucy and the way that it’s so rich. I didn’t know any of this.”
