Aaron Sorkin defends casting choices on ‘Being the Ricardos’


Aaron Sorkin is confident that he cast the right actors — Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem — in his upcoming movie about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Being the Ricardos, despite the criticism he’s received. 

People were upset, for example, that Bardem, who’s Spanish, is playing Arnaz, who was Cuban.

“First of all, Amazon’s casting department had a Latina casting consultant [who was focused on all Latinx casting] on board,” Sorkin said during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I found out, for instance, because there was an actor who I was considering who’s Brazilian, and I was told by the casting consultant that Brazilians aren’t considered [Hispanic] because they speak Portuguese. So, Javier is Spanish and the casting consultant was fine with it.”

Writer and director Aaron Sorkin responds to backlash over casting Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman in Being the Ricardos. (Photo: Amazon Prime Video)

However, he said he didn’t want to blame the casting consultant.

“I want to tell you my opinion on this and I stand by it, which is this: Spanish and Cuban aren’t actable, OK? They’re not actable,” he said. “By the way, neither are straight and gay. Because I know there’s a small movement underway that only gay actors should play gay characters. Gay and straight aren’t actable. You could act being attracted to someone, but most nouns aren’t actable.”

Still, Sorkin said productions should avoid being “demeaning.”

“We know that blackface is demeaning because of its historical context, because you’re making ridiculous cartoon caricatures out of people,” he said. “We know that Mickey Rooney with the silly piece in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and that makeup, doing silly Japanese speak, we know that’s demeaning. This is not, I felt. Having an actor who was born in Spain playing a character who was born in Cuba was not demeaning. And it wasn’t just the casting consultant who agreed, Lucy and Desi’s Cuban American daughter didn’t have a problem with it. So, I’m very comfortable with it.”

Story continues

In fact, Lucie Arnaz, who’s a producer — along with her brother, Desi Arnaz Jr. — has endorsed the choices. “Just trust us, it’s gonna be a nice film,” she said in a January post on Facebook. She noted then that some critics on social media were insistent that actress Debra Messing or someone else should have been selected to portray the late sitcom star and the first woman to lead a major TV studio.

Sorkin spoke highly of Kidman in his new interview.

“The fact of the matter is when Nicole, as Lucille Ball, plays Lucy Ricardo [Ball’s I Love Lucy character], I think she does an incredible job of mimicking Lucy. Same with Javier, Nina [Arianda, who plays Vivian Vance] and J.K. [Simmons, who plays William Frawley]. But there is, in total, less than three minutes of I Love Lucy in this film, and the only reason the I Love Lucy material is there is because we’re in Lucy’s head and we’re seeing that she is a comedic chess master, that she can project ahead to what [the show] is going to look like on Friday night, and how the audience is going to react and whether this joke is going to work. So, finding an actress who looked like Lucille Ball wasn’t important to me, especially because I was excited by the idea that Lucille Ball doesn’t look like Lucille Ball — and that every time we’re seeing Lucille Ball not as Lucy Ricardo, she should both literally and metaphorically let her hair down. Let her be what she’s not allowed to be on TV in 1952 on CBS. Let her be a woman. Let her be sexy. You weren’t allowed to be sexy on TV.”

He explained that Oscar winner Kidman, who is Australian, was initially attempting to capture Ball’s voice. But Sorkin directed his lead actors to focus simply on playing the characters in the script, which is set over one week and shows the production of one episode.

“As far as audience anticipation, that’s something I’m just not worried about,” Sorkin said. “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. I learned that with The Social Network. People assumed it was going to be a romantic comedy, where, like, Paul Rudd ‘friends’ Drew Barrymore and they fall in love. And I just thought, ‘Great, they’re not expecting what they’re about to see.'”

He said he thinks the same will be true of this film.

You can view the original article HERE.

Jason Kelce Autograph Seeker Goes Berserk On Ex-NFLer, ‘You P***y, F*** You!’
Jason Kelce Autograph Seeker Goes Berserk On Ex-NFLer, ‘You P***y, F*** You!’
Diddy Claims Prosecutors Showed Judge Edited Cassie Video to Make Him Look Dangerous
Diddy Claims Prosecutors Showed Judge Edited Cassie Video to Make Him Look Dangerous
Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and more step out in style to celebrate country music’s biggest night
Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and more step out in style to celebrate country music’s biggest night
Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann Told by Cops to Stay Away From Each Other
Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann Told by Cops to Stay Away From Each Other
Billy Bob Thornton Thought ‘Bad Santa’ Would End His Career
Billy Bob Thornton Thought ‘Bad Santa’ Would End His Career
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: Disco Afrika, It Was All a Dream, Dreams Like Paper Boats | Festivals & Awards
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: Disco Afrika, It Was All a Dream, Dreams Like Paper Boats | Festivals & Awards
Dawsons Creek Had a Perfect Spin-Off, But No One Watched It
Dawsons Creek Had a Perfect Spin-Off, But No One Watched It
'Bad Sisters' Exclusive Clip – Wednesday November 20th Episode
'Bad Sisters' Exclusive Clip – Wednesday November 20th Episode
Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
Jelly Roll on his battle with food addiction: “It’s like an avalanche”
Jelly Roll on his battle with food addiction: “It’s like an avalanche”
Here’s every song on the ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series soundtrack
Here’s every song on the ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series soundtrack
Zayn Reunites With One Direction at Liam Payne’s Painful Funeral
Zayn Reunites With One Direction at Liam Payne’s Painful Funeral
Report: Raiders owner Davis agrees to sell 15% of team
Report: Raiders owner Davis agrees to sell 15% of team
Fun and Frugal DIY Christmas Ornaments
Fun and Frugal DIY Christmas Ornaments
Draymond fires back at ‘janky’ Jenkins, Edey over foul
Draymond fires back at ‘janky’ Jenkins, Edey over foul
Skenes’ rookie award traps Pirates in uncomfortable situation
Skenes’ rookie award traps Pirates in uncomfortable situation
‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 Has a Matt Problem
‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 Has a Matt Problem
‘Gladiator 2’ Director Explains Why the Twin Emperors Are “So F**King Crazy”
‘Gladiator 2’ Director Explains Why the Twin Emperors Are “So F**King Crazy”
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 8 Review: Torres’ Guilt & Reid’s Mysterious Agenda Result in Tense Midseason Finale!
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 8 Review: Torres’ Guilt & Reid’s Mysterious Agenda Result in Tense Midseason Finale!
The Untold Story’ Trailer Unearths the Dark Crimes Behind the Scenes
The Untold Story’ Trailer Unearths the Dark Crimes Behind the Scenes
Hearst Layoffs, Selena Gomez Covers Perfect Magazine, & More!
Hearst Layoffs, Selena Gomez Covers Perfect Magazine, & More!
The Best Fashion and Grooming Men’s Gifts
The Best Fashion and Grooming Men’s Gifts
Miley Cyrus For Harper’s Bazaar, Louis Vuitton Taps Callum Turner, & More!
Miley Cyrus For Harper’s Bazaar, Louis Vuitton Taps Callum Turner, & More!
Meredith Marks Loves Caviar, Jewelry, & Being On Time!
Meredith Marks Loves Caviar, Jewelry, & Being On Time!