Nicole Kidman on channeling Lucille Ball for Aaron Sorkin

2 years ago 246

Nicole Kidman, 1 of the past existent movie stars, doesn’t Google herself. She doesn’t bash a heavy dive into what “they” are saying.

Two weeks earlier Christmas, however, she received the eventual reappraisal during a screening of her caller film, “Being the Ricardos,” present connected Amazon Prime. “The archetypal clip I saw the movie, my hubby sat adjacent to Lucy Arnaz. And she wept,” Kidman said.

“As an histrion that was an unthinkable thing,” the Aussie said. “To beryllium sitting adjacent to the girl and she has specified an emotionally beardown absorption … it was everything to me.”

“Being the Ricardos,” written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, is simply a play astir the making of a comedy. It’s besides astir a pivotal week successful the beingness of Lucy and Desi Arnaz. She has been accused of being a Communist, which leaves the aboriginal of the bid hanging; astatine the aforesaid time, Lucy has conscionable announced that she’s pregnant. Javier Bardem plays Desi Arnaz with J.K. Simmons arsenic William Frawley and Nina Arianda arsenic Vivian Vance.

Kidman, 54, is said to beryllium a fastener for a champion histrion Oscar nomination.

Review-Journal: Is it existent that you had 2nd thoughts astir playing Lucy?

Nicole Kidman: I said yes to an astonishing screenplay, manager and cast. I wanted to instrumentality connected Lucille Ball, thinking, “What a large opportunity.” Then I heard that I wasn’t the astir fashionable prime to play it. I thought, “Oh, no! I made a mistake.” The truth? I was frightened. As an actor, it’s good to beryllium frightened. Javier and I decided to beryllium frightened together.

How bash you woody with the fear?

You conscionable enactment your caput down and spell to work.

How did Aaron Sorkin help?

There were times erstwhile I was like, “Oh, no! What person I done? I privation I had the endowment to bash this, but I don’t.” I watched the shows and worked connected it slowly, meticulously and methodically. I listened to Lucy’s voice. I was doing each of this preparation, which was antithetic for maine due to the fact that I similar to commencement connected the inside. But the wrong of it was astir already determination due to the fact that I could subordinate to her. I could consciousness her. It was truthful beautifully written. … Aaron was fantastic due to the fact that erstwhile I freaked out, which I did, Aaron would nonstop maine emails that fundamentally said, “You’ve got this. You’re conscionable going to person to instrumentality it time to day. I don’t privation an impersonation. I privation you to bash the enactment that I cognize you tin bash … that I cognize you volition do. And I privation you not to freak retired due to the fact that I judge you tin bash it.” He would ne'er waver. He was truthful accordant successful his belief.

How was the look created?

I was begging for immoderate benignant of chemoreceptor oregon chin astatine 1 point. I said, “I privation to alteration my jaw,” and Aaron said, “I don’t care.” I was going to person the hair. Aaron knew however helium wanted it, and it took maine time.

This movie is simply a emotion story.

Very true. This was a profoundly passionate couple. They would combat and marque up, combat and marque up. It was besides an unthinkable partnership. She fought for him; helium fought for her. There was conscionable truthful overmuch accent connected them, combined with the accent they enactment connected themselves to beryllium large performers. They didn’t marque it to the end, but what they did marque during their narration is celebrated successful this film. They really had a large emotion and respect for each different arsenic the years wore on.

This isn’t your modular birth-to-death biopic.

The movie does propulsion the curtain back, but it’s not the “I Love Lucy” show. It’s much of “how was that made” and “who was the idiosyncratic susceptible of that genius.” Since it’s Aaron Sorkin, it’s not a birth-to-death storytelling. Aaron compresses a fig of things into this week, flashing guardant and back. He’s capable to amusement you the essence of this pistillate and the radical successful her life. It’s not adjacent a biopic. In fact, erstwhile I was primitively sent the screenplay, I couldn’t enactment it down.

Was determination an added work playing a existent idiosyncratic whose daughter, Lucy Arnaz, was a shaper and connected the set?

Having her enactment was specified a blessing and truthful important to me. I’m playing her mom. I person daughters. I recognize that relationship. It was besides truly weird astatine times. I was each dressed up arsenic her mother, and determination was Lucy watching me. Her archetypal time connected set, she took 1 look, her eyes filled, and she said, “I haven’t hugged you successful a agelong time.” I was precise protective of Lucy, who allowed maine to perceive to takes nary 1 has ever heard earlier of her mother. It was specified a generous happening for her to bash and incredibly helpful. We were privy to a batch of backstage things that truly influenced my performance. I held these things close.

Describe filming the infamous crushing grapes scene?

Very squishy. We got into the grapes and it was truly slippery. Much much than I thought. The bully quality is we did it successful 3 takes.

What are a fewer things that amazed you astir Lucy?

All of it amazed me. What truly amazed maine is that Lucy told radical that she wasn’t funny. Also, she was an astonishing dancer, which makes consciousness since she was specified a carnal performer. And I loved the mode she utilized her elegant hands successful her performances.

What would astonishment america astir Nicole Kidman? For instance, however bash you similar to walk Sundays?

With family, of course. Sundays are lazy days. It’s astir eating, walking, talking. In Nashville, we’re conscionable portion of a fantastic assemblage wherever determination are parks and bikes and kids and dogs. In Australia, I’m gathering eggs from my chickens and looking astatine my cows!

Read Entire Article