A close friend of Lucille Ball has applauded Nicole Kidman for her portrayal of the Hollywood star in "Being the Ricardos."
Kidman has faced her share of backlash for the role, with many saying she looks and sounds nothing like Ball, but Michael Stern, who knew Ball personally, believes Kidman is the right actress for the part.
"There were a lot of people who said, ‘What a mistake,’" Stern told Fox News. "But Nicole Kidman is a fantastic actress. And they weren’t looking for look-alikes. They were looking for someone who could portray Lucille Ball, not Lucy Ricardo. Nicole got her down."
Stern pointed out that Ball was nothing like her character, Ricardo. It was just a part she acted, but in reality she looked and acted nothing like that. Kidman was not trying to play the role of Ricardo. She was focusing on capturing the essence of Ball, he said.
"Yes, Nicole played Lucy Ricardo for a few seconds here and there. But she was really playing Lucille Ball," Stern said. "I thought she did a really great job. I think she could be up for some major awards."
Stern added that he had been cheering for Kidman from the beginning, despite all the initial criticism.
"I was one of the few people who was not a naysayer from the very beginning," he explained. "From day one, I knew that this would not be the story of Lucy Ricardo. She embodied Lucille Ball, the actress. She really did. And I think if people see this film for pure entertainment, they will enjoy it."
In November, "Being the Ricardos" director Aaron Sorkin defended his casting during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
"We made this movie during COVID, and so in Zooming with Nicole and Javier and everyone else, I’d make it very clear to them that I am not looking for a physical or vocal impersonation of these people," he said.
"Leading up to the first rehearsal, I’d write to them every day, 'Just play the characters who are in the script,'" Sorkin continued. "I know that Nicole was working on Lucy’s voice for a while, and I wanted to relieve her of that. As far as audience anticipation, that’s something I’m just not worried about.
"I’m certain that when people see the movie, they’ll leave feeling that Nicole has made a very solid case for herself, but moreover, I’ve found that you can really leverage low expectations."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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