“Being the Ricardos” takes place over the course of one production week on the set of “I Love Lucy,” during which Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz receive some upsetting news that could jeopardize both their marriage and their careers. Most of the action takes place during rehearsals, with a few scenes at the couple’s home in Chatsworth, California. There are a limited number of flashback scenes as well.
The film’s big selling point is seeing Oscar winner Nicole Kidman as comedy icon Lucille Ball. The film’s first teaser hid Kidman’s face for most of its duration, but fans get a much better look at the actress’ transformation into Ball in the official trailer below. Oscar winner Javier Bardem stars as Desi Arnaz, with J.K. Simmons as William Frawley, who played Lucy and Ricky’s landlord Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” and Nina Arianda as Vivian Vance, best known for playing Lucy’s best friend Ethel Mertz. The film also features Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Clark Gregg, Linda Lavin, and Jake Lacy. “[Aaron Sorkin] captured the essence of that time in their lives so well,” Lucille and Desi’s daughter Lucie Arnaz previously said in a statement. “He captured the heart of my mother, my father, their relationship,” Arnaz said. “And Nicole Kidman became my mother’s soul. She crawled into her head. She cared very deeply about this part, it shows. And I believed everything she said. Javier Bardem, he really doesn’t look that much like my dad. But he has everything that Dad had. He has his wit, his charm, his dimples, his musicality, his strength and tenacity, and you can tell from the performance that he just loved him.”
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