“Being the Ricardos” Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth on Lighting Lucy and Desi

Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos follows Lucy (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Ricardo (Javier Bardem) during a hellacious week on set: in a blind item on his radio broadcast, Walter Winchell accuses Lucy of being a member of the Communist Party. While the show goes on and the beloved couple work to placate nervous executives, the film toggles between 1953 and flashbacks to Lucy’s rise in the late 1940s, from a brunette limited to the radio to her rightful place as America’s favorite flame-haired television comedian.

Best of 2021: Aaron Sorkin on Having a Ball Making “Being the Ricardos”

This interview is part of our highly subjective, decidedly non-comprehensive “Best of 2021” year-end list. It was originally published on December 10.

You might think the opportunity to write a film about the legendary Lucille Ball would have been irresistible for Aaron Sorkin, but he wasn’t immediately convinced. “It took me about 18 months to say yes, to commit to it,” Sorkin says of the project that would eventually become Being the Ricardos, 

“Being the Ricardos” Costume Designer Susan Lyall on Capturing Lucy & Desi’s Many Lives

Being the Ricardos takes us back to the days of I Love Lucy for an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at its stars, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as the iconic TV couple, the film delves into such sensitive subjects as Arnaz’s infidelity, Ball’s pregnancy, and the turmoil that ensues when columnist Walter Winchell alleges that Ball is a communist.

“Being the Ricardos” Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth on Blending Period & Modern Techniques

Having photographed The Social Network, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth knows the writing style of Aaron Sorkin all too well. So when the writer/director said, “You’d make my wish come true if you say yes to this’ during an initial meeting,” it was easy for Cronenweth to jump on board. “This script is classic Sorkin dialogue, packed from one end to the other,” says the Oscar-nominated cinematographer. “It’s extremely clever. It’s emotional.

“Being The Ricardos” Hair Department Head Teressa Hill on Wigs Done Right

Being the Ricardos (in theaters now) faced a Russian Doll challenge when writer-director Aaron Sorkin decided to make a movie about the off-stage drama surrounding I Love Lucy. The fifties-era sitcom drew 60 million viewers every week and made Lucille Ball the most famous redhead in America. Portrayed by Nicole Kidman, Ball starred as daffy housewife Lucy Ricardo. She’s married in the show to bandleader Ricky Ricardo, played by her real-life husband Desi Arnaz,

Aaron Sorkin on Having a Ball Making “Being the Ricardos”

You might think the opportunity to write a film about the legendary Lucille Ball would have been irresistible for Aaron Sorkin, but he wasn’t immediately convinced. “It took me about 18 months to say yes, to commit to it,” Sorkin says of the project that would eventually become Being the Ricardos, his propulsive new film that takes us through a week of production on the set of I Love Lucy, 

“Being the Ricardos” Official Trailer Reveals Aaron Sorkin’s Lucy & Desi Drama

The official trailer for writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos is here, giving us a longer glimpse at Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as the legendary Hollywood power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Sorkin’s film will follow Lucy and Desi during a particularly tumultuous week of production on their groundbreaking, massively popular show I Love Lucy. Lucy finds herself at the center of a political smear campaign and the couple’s romantic and professional life comes under unbearable scrutiny—all while they need to put on a show.

“Being The Ricardos” Trailer Reveals Nicole Kidman & Javier Bardem as Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz

We’ve got our first look at Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as the legendary Hollywood power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos. The brand new trailer, released by Amazon, reveals Kidman gamely taking on one of the most legendary performers in Hollywood history. Bardem is no slouch as Lucille’s husband and co-star, and Sorkin’s film will follow the two of them during a week of production of their groundbreaking,