EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner JK Simmons and Nina Arianda were cast to play William Frawley and Vivian Vance on Amazon and Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos, the movie about I love Lucy Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz stars. Sources add that Arianda’s deal has not yet been closed.
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are in the final negotiations to play Ball and Arnaz, with Sorkin writing and directing.
Simmons’ character, Frawley, played neighbor Fred Mertz in I love Lucy. Vance played Fred’s wife and Lucy’s best friend, Ethel Mertz.
The film takes place during a week of production of I love Lucy – Monday’s table deals with Friday’s audience footage – when Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.
Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch of Escape Artists will be the producers. Executive producers are Jenna Block, David Bloomfield of Escape Artists, Stuart Besser, Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lauren Lohman.
Simmons remains busy after winning the best supporting actor for his role in Whiplash. He was recently seen alongside Andy Samberg in the Hulu comedy Palm Springs and is set to repeat his role as Commissioner Gordon in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, who reveres in March on HBO Max. He also has the sci-fi thriller Tomorrow’s war which also stars Chris Pratt. He is represented by Gersh.
Arianda won a Tony for his outstanding performance in Venus in Leather and won another nomination for It was born yesterday. She also played Damien Lewis’ love interest in Showtime’s Billion and co-starred alongside Billy Bob Thornton in the Amazon drama Goliath. She also appeared in the 2019 Clint Eastwood drama Richard Jewell. The actress is represented by ICM Partners and Schreck Rose.