Fans Want Debra Messing as Lucille Ball in ‘Being the Ricardos’
Debra Messing announces availability after a Deadline article was released naming Nicole Kidman as writer and director Aaron Sorkin’s first choice for the role of Lucille Ball in the new Amazon Studios film Being the Ricardos.
Sorkin’s film reveals the drama between the I Love Lucy stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. During their run time on CBS, the couple comes across a marital conflict during a production week that threatens to ruin both their career and relationship. Sorkin has written films such as A Few Good Men, Moneyball, and, Oscar-winning, Social Network.
Nicole Kidman, more widely known for being in dramas rather than comedies, recently portrayed Angie Dickinson in Ryan Murphy’s The Prom. Her role in the comedic movie only further incited fan’s desire for her to play Ball, proving to unhindered by genre.
Debra Messing portrayed Grace in the long-running HBO TV series Will & Grace. In a special episode, Messing’s character gave some I Love Lucy re-enactments, including the famous Vitameatavegamin commercial. Since fans have a comfortable familiarity with her portrayal of Lucy, they are eagerly on Twitter campaigning on her behalf.
One such campaigner is actress Valerie Bertinelli who was Barbara Cooper in One Day at a Time. She tweeted that Messing “was robbed” by not being considered for the role.
Debra Messing was robbed. https://t.co/jD4gsp8DpZ
— Valerie Bertinelli (@Wolfiesmom) January 11, 2021
When a fan said that they chose to accept that Messing was unavailable for the role, Messing retweeted their comment and responded, “Oh no, I’m available.” Fans took to this tweet by storm, only further giving them cause to want her as Lucile Ball.
Oh no, I’m available. https://t.co/SO8eMkSkz4
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) January 12, 2021
Sorkin’s project began back in 2017 when the film was previously called Lucy and Desi. At the time, Sorkin wanted Cate Blanchett to play Lucille Ball, yet ultimately landed on casting Nicole Kidman for the role. Though, due to COVID-19 regulations, it is not sure when Being the Ricardos will begin filming.
The insanity of not casting @DebraMessing to play Lucille Ball is head-scratching for this project.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) January 11, 2021
They got some ‘splainin’ to do. https://t.co/26OMun8EfW
As author Majid M Padellan writes, echoing the famous words of Arnaz’s catchphrase, the casting directors of Being the Ricardos have “got some ‘splainin’ to do.”
Writer
