Amazon Prime Video’s Being The Ricardos has been a hotly awaited, and to a certain extent debated, biopic focused on the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. With Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem cast in those respective roles, the first look at writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s latest film is something that the public has been looking forward to for some time. But as you’ll see in this first trailer, there’s barely any Nicole Kidman on display at all in this trailer.
That’s not to say her presence is totally devoid from Prime Video’s first look at their latest awards contender. Being The Ricardos does use her vocal stylings as Lucille Ball to lay down the legacy of the I Love Lucy star and entertainment legend. But as far as the visuals go, you’ll have to be handy with a pause button to see her face in action. Come to think of it, there’s only a handful of shots of Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz as well. So what are fans left with? An unsurprisingly compelling voice over that’s setting us up for the main course.
Much like his work with David Fincher on The Social Network, Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, and most recently, Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aaron Sorkin seems to have put together a look behind the curtain of the myth that was Lucy and Desi. Which makes sense, as Sorkin himself has gone on record as stating that we won’t be seeing as lot of Nicole Kidman engaging in I Love Lucy style hijinks. True to its title, Being The Ricardos is set to show the world Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s lives in the reality that is our own.
While we don’t see much of Nicole Kidman or Javier Bardem in Being The Ricardos, we do get a fantastic look at the killer supporting cast. Sitcom legends Tony Hale and Alia Shawkat form a mini-Arrested Development reunion in this quick look, which feels fitting given the subject matter at hand. Plus, Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons and Clark Gregg are on hand, though we see more of the former than the latter in the footage above.
After years of hearing about Being The Ricardos moving through its development paces, the film that was once set to star Cate Blanchett has finally arrived. While we mostly hear Nicole Kidman’s sternly serious voiceover, and a soundtrack that eventually warms up into a full rendition of the I Love Lucy theme, Being The Ricardos already promises a very personal lens on the comedy legacy left behind by this iconic pair. And though fans certainly have their thoughts on how Kidman looks in the part, it’s hard to deny that her performance hits pretty close to the mark of the woman herself. Though if you want to take a closer look, we've screencapped Nicole Kidman in one of the most iconic I Love Lucy moments reenacted in the film:
Laughter and heartbreak look to await those who seek Being The Ricardos, which will tune into theatrical release on December 10th. It won't be too long after that debut for Prime Video subscribers to see it in the comfort of their own home, as it's scheduled to hit the streaming library on December 21st. However, if you want to get a jump on next year's big ticket films, head over to the 2022 release schedule, after a word from our sponsors.
