First Look at Nicole Kidman Playing Lucille Ball
See Nicole Kidman as iconic comedienne Lucille Ball.
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Being the Ricardos is an upcoming American biographical drama that follows the most iconic Ricardos in American television history – Lucy and Ricky, portrayed initially by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. However, actors Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are now taking over the Ricardo mantle, but not in a way we would expect. Being the Ricardos is not about the Ricardos; it’s about Bell and Arnaz, and we have pictures to show and a story to tell.
Check out your first look at Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in the upcoming true story:
Pictures of the set were first posted by Film Updates, an all-news-on-films Twitter page, offering us the first look at Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball, one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. The pictures also show Kidman’s co-star Javier Bardem as Ball’s husband, Desi Arnaz. And the two certainly look the part, as they’re fitted into the ’50 retro ensemble, which includes yellow slacks, a checkered blazer, and a headscarf for Kidman, and black slackers paired with a green tuxedo for Bardem. The two were spotted at ease on the movie set, entertaining themselves in between shoots.
Both Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are set to appear as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the co-starts of I Love Lucy, an American television sitcom from the ’50s, in Aaron Sorkin’s new movie Being the Ricardos. The film follows the events that transpired during one week of shooting I Love Lucy, during which both Ball’s and Arnaz’s careers and marriage faced a crisis. For those in need of more context, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were co-stars of I Love Lucy and real-life partners who got married during the 1940s and divorced in 1690.
However, before that happened, the couple was actively engaged in developing I Love Lucy, their brain-child, which ensured Ball’s rise to stardom. I Love Lucy pioneered several methods still used in modern television production today, like multi-camera setups and distinct, adjacent sets. The series dominated the US rating for most of its run before ending in 1957. Ball’s TV studio, Desilu Productions, managed several other popular TV shows, like Star Trek, before Paramount Pictures absorbed it in 1967.
Nicole Kidman teased the movie and her appearance as Lucille Ball earlier this month by posting a picture of herself in front of a “closed set” sign that prohibits social media and photography, with the hashtag #BeingTheRicardos. Ball and Arnaz’s daughter, Lucie Arnaz, already approved the story with Nicole Kidman as portraying actress, showing her support for the choice.
Nicole Kidman, 53, knows she has some big shoes to fill now, given Lucille’s prominence in Hollywood. The actress herself has an impressive portfolio and over 40 years of experience in acting. She’s considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation and one of the greatest actors in the 21st century. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and won one Academy Award and 106 other awards, out of 327 nominations.
Being the Ricardos began filming on March 29, 2021, but still has no precise release date. Given Nicole Kidman’s acting prowess, we have no doubt she’ll outperform herself as Lucille Ball.
