Pop Culture
TV & MoviesCelebrityBest of the InternetAnimalsMusicRewindBooksLGBTQQuizzes
LatestTrendingFoodLoveTriviaQuiz PartyShopping
LatestGift GuidesHomeFashionTechBeauty & Personal CareKidsPetsSex ToysSports & FitnessStoresSubscriptionsBuzzFeed MerchVideo
LatestCocoa ButterNEW!Mom In ProgressWorth ItUnsolved True CrimeUnsolved SupernaturalMultiplayerPero LikeLifestyle
As/Is: StyleBringMe: TravelGoodful: WellnessNifty: DIYParentsFoodWeddingsSex And LoveNEW!Community
What is Community?Join Community!Featured PostsLeaderboardGift Guides
Amazing Gifts For EveryoneCovetable Holiday GiftsGifts For Your Entire ListGifts Kids Will Totally LoveTotally Amazing Kitchen FindsUltimate Gifts For KidsGifts To Please Your CrowdSnuggle BundleLast-Minute Holidays BuysBest Gifts For Beauty And StyleFrom Our Partners
Science Will WinHey BaeStudy BreakBeauty & Style BuzzHolidays Make Us Feel GoodCalling All Travel LoversLA LivingAbout
About UsAdvertiseInvestor RelationsJobsNewslettersEditionUSUKAustraliaBrasilCanadaDeutschlandIndiaJapanLatamCalifornia residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2021 BuzzFeed, Inc PressRSSPrivacyConsent PreferencesUser TermsAccessibility StatementAd ChoicesHelpContactSitemapBuzzFeed NewsReporting on what you care about. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing.BuzzFeed TastySearch, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place!BuzzFeed GoodfulSelf care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life.BuzzFeed Bring MeObsessed with travel? Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me!BuzzFeed As IsSomething for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity.Celebrity·Posted 17 minutes agoNicole Kidman Said Fierce Criticism Of Her Playing Lucille Ball In "Being The Ricardos" Almost Caused Her To Quit The Movie
"The producer Todd Black and Aaron Sorkin were both like, 'Absolutely not.' They were like, 'No.'"
by Emily Mae CzachorBuzzFeed Staff
FacebookPinterestTwitterMailLink
Being the Ricardos premieres one week from today, which means there isn't much time left to wait for Nicole Kidman's widely-discussed portrayal of legendary comedian and actor Lucille Ball.
Axelle / FilmMagic via Getty Images
The upcoming film, which Aaron Sorkin directs, focuses on Lucille's relationship with Desi Arnaz, her real-life husband and sitcom costar at the height of their I Love Lucy fame.
Tap to play or pause GIF Tap to play or pause GIF
@paramountplus / Via media.giphy.com
Javier Bardem will play Desi, while J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, and Jake Lacy round out the rest of the movie's main cast.
Jason Mendez / WireImage via Getty Images
We watched an initial teaser for Being the Ricardos back in October, and the brief snippets of Nicole's performance as Lucy were pretty spot-on.
View this video on YouTube
Amazon Prime Video / Via youtube.com
Critics who saw the film early agreed, contradicting the passionate opinions of some fans who felt someone else — Debra Messing, mainly — would have been better suited for the role than the Big Little Lies actor. Most arguments against Nicole's casting suggested she and Lucille look nothing alike.
Michael Loccisano / Getty Images, Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images
During a recent appearance on Live With Kelly And Ryan, Nicole revealed that public backlash nearly drove her to back out of Being the Ricardos altogether.
Jason Mendez / WireImage via Getty Images
"When the reality of playing [Lucille] hit me, I went, 'What I have said yes to?'" she recalled. "To which I then went, 'Oh no, I'm not right. Everyone thinks I'm not right, so I'm going to try to sidestep this.'"
View this video on YouTube
ABC / Via youtube.com
"The producer Todd Black and Aaron Sorkin were both like, 'Absolutely not.' I was in Australia and they were like, 'No,'" Nicole explained. "And thank God, because then I was so grateful because I got to fall in love with her."
Jason Mendez / WireImage via Getty Images
Echoing film reviewers, Lucille and Desi's daughter, Lucie Arnaz, shared positive feedback after watching Nicole in Being the Ricardos. "Nicole Kidman became my mother's soul," Lucie said in an Instagram video. "She crawled into her head — I don't know how you do that."
View this photo on Instagram
@luciearnazofficial / Via Instagram: @luciearnazofficial
Being the Ricardos opens in theaters Dec. 10, and becomes available to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting Dec. 21. Will you be watching?
Share This Article
FacebookPinterestTwitterMailLinkBuzzFeed Daily
Keep up with the latest daily buzz with the BuzzFeed Daily newsletter!
Newsletter signup formYour email address (required)Sign up