Amazon Studios Boards ‘Lucy And Desi’; Aaron Sorkin Scripting, Cate Blanchett To Play Lucille Ball
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Studios has acquired Lucy and Desi, the Aaron Sorkin-scripted drama from Escape Artists that has Cate Blanchett attached to star as TV’s pioneering star Lucille Ball. The feature project has been percolating a couple years. Escape Artists Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce.
I’m told that there already is movement toward finding a big star to play Ball’s former husband Desi Arnaz, with names like Javier Bardem in the mix, as well as for Fred and Ethel — originally played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance — who rounded out the quartet behind one of TV’s classic early sitcoms. The subjects’ children, Lucie Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz Jr, are involved in the authorized telling of the tempestuous love/business relationship between Arnaz and Ball, whose production company Desilu launched such series as Star Trek. The rights package empowers the use of memoirs written by both Ball and Arnaz, rights their children have controlled since their parents died.
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