Cate Blanchett has signed on to star in a new Aaron Sorkin penned Lucille Ball biopic, according to The Wrap.
The new film focusing on Ball, the legendary leading lady of I Love Lucy, will be produced by the stars’ children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. Outlets report that the movie will cover the 20-year marriage of Ball to her collaborator and partner on and off screen, Desi Arnaz. After marrying in 1940, the pair would go on to create and star in I Love Lucy, as well as produce many of television’s most iconic series through Desilu Productions. The couple would ultimately divorce in 1960.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Sorkin will complete the script, but other key components, such as costars and a director, remain a mystery for the moment. Sorkin has previously written major biopic scripts including Moneyball, Steve Jobs (due in theaters this fall), and The Social Network, for which he won an Academy Award. However, as Out Magazine notes, Sorkin is often criticized for his depiction of female characters. So, capturing the dynamic voice of unparalleled comedienne, Ball, may be a gamble for the famed screenwriter.
Blanchett, meanwhile, is no stranger to taking on roles of famous historical figures. Blanchett is an Oscar winner for portraying silver screen queen Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator. In fact, Entertainment Weekly devoted a feature to Blanchett’s chameleon capabilities as an actor. Highlighting the six most stunning transformations Blanchett has made to play real people on film, the list includes inhabiting the title role reporter in Veronica Guerin, Queen Elizabeth I of England in two films, and even Bob Dylan in I’m Not There.
On top of the colorful, loveable character she famously portrayed, Lucy Ricardo, being a beloved icon to LGBT viewers, superstar Ball herself was a progressive voice for acceptance in a post-Stonewall era. In 1980, Ball famously shared her thoughts on gay rights in a People magazine interview saying, “It’s perfectly alright with me. Some of the most gifted people I’ve ever met or read about are homosexual. How can you knock it?”
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