Nicole Kidman Is In Talks To Play Lucille Ball In Upcoming 'I Love Lucy' Biopic
But fans are petitioning for another actress to portray the Hollywood icon
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Grace Back
As far as Hollywood icons go, there are arguably none as legendary as Lucille Ball—the mastermind behind one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history, I Love Lucy.
Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Aaron Sorkin, of The West Wing and The Social Network fame, is set to start production on Being the Ricardos, a film that will document one week of filming on the I Love Lucy show.
According to Deadline, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are in talks to star as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, her husband and I Love Lucy costar, in the upcoming project.
The movie chronicles "Monday table read through Friday audience filming"—although, not just any normal week for the cast and crew. Deadline notes that two major hurdles hit the couple: "a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage."
The publication adds that Cate Blanchett was also being considered for the role of Ball.
I Love Lucy ran from 1951 to 1957, and Ball died in 1989. The couple eloped in 1940 and were married until 1960 when Ball successfully filed for divorce. She first attempted to file in 1944, but the pair reconciled, then welcomed two children.
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The year ahead is set to be a big one for Kidman, who is currently filming new Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers, the film adaptation of Liane Moriarty's book of the same name. The actress also recently wrapped production on Robert Eggers’ Vikings film, The Northman.
But while Kidman might seem like a perfect fit for the icon, many fans began a campaign for Debra Messing to play the legendary character, who the actress previously embodied during an episode of Will & Grace.
When one fan wrote to Twitter, "Debra should really be the only choice here", Messing responded: "Thank you sweets."
Grace BackGrace is our Digital News and Entertainment Editor. When not stuck in a seemingly endless Instagram scroll, you'll find Grace with her head in a good book.