“Lucy and Desi,” an Aaron Sorkin-scripted biopic that follows Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s life together, has yet to find its leading man.
On Monday, Deadline reported that Amazon Studios had picked up the film. Cate Blanchett has long been attached to star as Ball in the biopic but nothing has been confirmed regarding who will portray the Cuban-born actor and musician.
The Deadline exclusive notes Spanish actor Javier Bardem is one of the names “in the mix” as the film tries to find “a big star” to play Arnaz.
Ball and Arnaz both starred in the TV classic “I Love Lucy,” and built a successful production company, Desilu, behind the scenes. Their children, Lucie Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz Jr., are set to produce the biopic.
News of the “Lucy and Desi” biopic first came out in Sept. 2015. At the time, The Wrap reported that the film would be based on the stars' 20-year marriage and business relationship.
Their daughter Lucie once described Arnaz “as a great lover of life and everything it had to offer” during a 2011 interview with the Archive of American Television.
“I have my dad’s joie de vivre, which is the French word for ‘Cuban fun’.” Lucie said. “He always just had a love of life and a great sense of humor, a twisted sense of humor.”
During the interview she also broke down her father’s rise to success after he and his family had to flee Cuba after dictator Fulegncio Batista came into power.
After several difficult years living in Miami, Lucie said Arnaz's father pushed him to get a job as a musician. The Cuban star eventually became famous for introducing the Conga to the United States, appeared on Broadway and flew to Hollywood, where he met Ball on the set of a film.
