With Being the Ricardos, Aaron Sorkin aimed to show the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, but according to their daughter, it wasn’t quite accurate. After years of watching her parents’ lives unfold through the lens of others, Lucie Arnaz is ready to take complete control and finally tell their story her way.
At a recent Q&A held at Paramount Studios, following the screening of the documentary Lucy & Desi: A Home Movie, Lucie opened up without holding back. Now 73, Lucie shared that while she did try to guide the direction of the 2021 biopic, much of what made it to the screen just wasn’t true. Her biggest issue was the way the film painted her mother’s relationship with her team. “She adored those people,” Lucie said. “There was no backstabbing or drama like the film made it seem. That part was just a crock of poop.”
Aaron Sorkin listened to Lucie Arnaz but still went on with his plan
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Lucie explained that Aaron Sorkin gave her a seat at the table but not a voice that mattered. “He would say things like, ‘Well, what do you know? You were 15 months old,’” she shared, shaking her head at the memory. But as someone who grew up in the I Love Lucy era, she knows more than people think. “I know how they shot the show. I know the energy they brought home after work. I know enough.”
Even the tension between I Love Lucy co-stars Vivian Vance and William Frawley, which the film leaned into, was exaggerated. Lucie said it wasn’t nearly as intense as the movie made it out to be. And though she once praised the film for what it tried to achieve, earning Oscar nominations and a big audience, there were scenes she couldn’t agree with. “Some of it never happened. It wasn’t even artistic license. It was just plain wrong,” she added.
This time, Lucie Arnaz is ready to set the record straight
Lucie’s frustration didn’t end with all of that. She had originally pitched a 10-part series to Sorkin, hoping for a more layered telling of her parents’ story. But he wanted a film. And so, what she hoped for was brushed aside, even until now.
Here’s the plot twist. A major studio executive recently approached Lucie about reviving the idea, but this time, on her terms. “You can’t tell this story in two hours,” she said. “It needs space. Maybe 30 episodes, three full seasons.” And unlike before, she’s not settling for ‘meaningful consultation.’ Lucie made it clear: “I will have full control.” She’s ready to show the world who Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz really were.