Nicole Kidman & Javier Bardem Both Tried to Back Out Of Being the Ricardos
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem both tried to back out of their roles as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s new biopic, Being the Ricardos.
You Are Reading :Nicole Kidman & Javier Bardem Both Tried to Back Out Of Being the Ricardos
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem both tried to back out of Being the Ricardos. The Oscar-winning duo star in the new film as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the real-life couple who starred together as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo in the classic sitcom, I Love Lucy. The cast for Being the Ricardos also includes J.K. Simmons as William Frawley and Nina Arianda as Vivian Vance, the actors known for playing Fred and Ethel Mertz on the show.
The Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic hails from Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who wrote and directed the film based on one week in the lives of the couple as they face crises that could jeopardize their careers and marriage. The film marks Sorkin’s third as a writer/director following Molly’s Game in 2017 and the Awards season darling The Trial of the Chicago 7 from last year. Based on the three Golden Globe nods Being the Ricardos just received (one each for Kidman, Bardem, and Sorkin), the filmmaker could have another critically acclaimed hit on his hands.
While they are now in the Awards season conversation, the two Being the Ricardos stars actually tried to back out of their roles at one point, per The Hollywood Reporter. Because they both grew up outside the United States, Kidman and Bardem weren’t aware of I Love Lucy’s immense popularity. Bardem said, “When I really started digging into [Desi Arnaz], the deeper I got, the more I knew how iconic [the show] was … it was like, ‘Shit.’” Kidman agreed: “Shit, what did we do?” I got frightened.” When they realized what they agreed to take on, both actors called their agents and tried to back out of the project, though producer Todd Black and Sorkin convinced them to stay on board. Still, their fears weren’t completely quelled, and Kidman asked for more time to prepare for the role. When Kidman learned the film would go ahead as planned with no extra prep time, she realized, “Oh, no. Oh, no. We actually have to do this.”
The internet backlash to their castings also likely contributed to the Being the Ricardos stars wanting to jump ship. The criticisms ranged from Kidman not resembling Ball to her lack of comedic experience rendering her unqualified to portray her sitcom character. Bardem’s casting was also met with backlash considering he is a Spanish actor playing a Cuban-American character. Losing Kidman in the role would have been especially devastating since another Oscar-winning actress, Cate Blanchett, had already joined and exited the project before her.
Now that the film is finished and playing in select theaters, it would be difficult to think of two other actors who could have done a better job than Kidman and Bardem, especially when it comes to handling Sorkin’s signature spitfire dialogue. If the two had backed out, the project would have likely fallen by the wayside. The full extent of their performances can be seen by all when Being the Ricardos releases December 21 on Amazon Prime.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/being-ricardos-nicole-kidman-javier-bardem-role-reservations/