Nicole Kidman, is that you? The 54-year-old actress looks completely unrecognizable in the first trailer for her new movie, Being the Ricardos, in which she will be playing the role of late comedy legend, Lucille Ball. Kidman shared the trailer to her Instagram page on October 19th, writing, “Here’s a sneak peek at #BeingTheRicardos, on @amazonprimevideo worldwide December 21 xx”
When it was announced that Kidman would be stepping into the shoes of the comedic icon, the internet was somewhat divided. However, after seeing the trailer of the Nine Perfect Strangers actress expertly embodying every single part of the late comedy queen, we don’t think anyone can disagree that the casting directors definitely made the right call.
It seems like Kidman put a lot of work into this role, telling Chris Rock on Variety’s Actors on Actors series that she “had to put in an enormous amount of time on Lucille Ball right now, because she has a very particular way of speaking.” She then went on to say that she is rarely cast in such comedic rules, and added, “I am way out of my comfort zone right now.”
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Kidman’s hard work has definitely paid off, as she appears to have nailed Ball’s unmistakable voice, which can be heard throughout the trailer. Although the trailer doesn’t feature much of Kidman as the I Love Lucy star, the very few glimpses we do get are sending chills down our spines. And the voice, we have to say, is spot on! The resemblance is uncanny! “I get paid a fortune to do exactly what I love doing,” Kidman as Ball can be heard saying as a voiceover for the trailer. “I work side by side with my husband who is genuinely impressed by me. And all I have to do is kill for 36 weeks in a row. And then, do it again the next year.”
The film will also star Javier Bardem, who will be playing Ball’s husband, Desi Arnaz, and is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Being the Ricardos is set during one week of production of the popular 1950s sitcom, I Love Lucy, which starred Ball in the title role as well as her husband, Arnaz. The film will cover everything from the couple’s personal and professional lives, the former of which was widely publicized for the majority of their marriage. Ball made no secret of the fact that she was keen to film I Love Lucy so she and her husband could be together, something which is made very obvious in the trailer. “You know I did this show so Desi and I could be together?” Kidman as Ball says in the trailer. “I had no idea it was gonna be a hit.”
It looks like one of Ball’s most iconic I Love Lucy scenes from the 1956 episode, Lucy’s Italian Movie, which involves the star hilariously crushing grapes, will be recreated, which we are beyond excited about. Being the Ricardos is in theaters December 10th, and will then be streaming on Amazon Prime on December 21st. We can’t wait to see Kidman and Bardem in action!
