Nicole Kidman tried to get out of playing Lucille Ball in 'Being the Ricardos'
"Being the Ricardos" stars Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as the late Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, respectively, but at one point early in development, one part of that equation almost fell through.
While visiting "LIVE with Kelly and Ryan," Kelly Ripa asked Kidman if she ever felt anxious about portraying Ball.
"Yes!" the Oscar winner responded. "I wasn't initially. Initially, it's like, Aaron Sorkin wrote this screenplay that you read and you cannot put down. I say to people, 'If you can get your hands on this screenplay, read it, because it's such a good read.' It's a good as a great novel."
Kidman, 54, continued: "But then when the reality of playing her hit me, I went, 'What have I said yes to?' To which I then went, 'Oh, no! I'm not right! Everyone thinks I'm not right! So I'm gonna try and sidestep this.' And the producer, Todd Black, and Aaron Sorkin were both like, 'Absolutely not.' ... Thank God! Because then I was so grateful 'cause I got to fall in love with her."
Regardless of what the public thinks, Kidman scored glowing approval from Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, the daughter Desi and Lucille, in October.
"Lucille Ball (Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Bardem) are threatened by shocking personal accusations, a political smear and cultural taboos in Academy Award®-winning writer and director Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes drama 'Being the Ricardos,'" the film's official description teases. "A revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship, the film takes audiences into the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom 'I Love Lucy.'"
"Being the Ricardos" arrives in theaters Dec. 10 before Amazon Prime Video on Dec. 21. Watch the trailer below.
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