Fans campaign to get Debra Messing cast as Lucille Ball

Los Angeles, California – With Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem reportedly being considered for movie roles as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, one name was on many people's minds: Debra Messing.

Lucille Ball was known as a comedic genius and the first woman to run a major television studio (archive image).
Lucille Ball was known as a comedic genius and the first woman to run a major television studio (archive image).  © imago images / Everett Collection

The Will & Grace actress has taken some time out from tweeting nonstop against President Trump to retweet dozens of people who think she would be perfect to play the comedienne in a planned Amazon Studios movie, Being the Ricardos.

The movie, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, follows a week in the life of I Love Lucy production, including a major fight that threatens to derail the Ball-Arnaz marriage, Deadline reported Monday.

Ball and Arnaz eloped in 1940 and were married until 1960, when Ball successfully filed for divorce. It wasn't the first time: she had filed in 1944, but the couple reconciled and then welcomed two children. I Love Lucy, with Ball as Lucy and Arnaz as Ricky, ran from 1951 to 1957. Ball died in 1989.

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Messing (52) didn't so much argue for the role as she let her fans do the talking for her Monday, retweeting myriad people who remarked about how perfect she'd be as Lucy.

Actor and TV personality Valerie Bertinelli was among them, tweeting "Debra Messing was robbed" in response to the story about the rumored casting.

Bertinelli was hardly alone in that sentiment.

"Oh sweetheart, you're so kind," Messing told a friend, Tara Dublin, who had tweeted, "My friend @DebraMessing would be a gazillion times better as Lucille Ball, just saying." Dublin replied, "Nicole Kidman is an excellent dramatic actress, but she's not funny. Debra has such perfect comic timing & there's a real resemblance."

Tweeting side-by-side pics of Ball and Messing as Ball, user @wearingacape wrote, "Cmon Aaron Sorkin - Nicole Kidman is NOT RIGHT FOR THIS PART. Debra Messing was born specifically to play this part. She can play comedy AND drama...Nic cannot. Plus LOOK AT DEBRA!!"

Fans push for recasting

Debra Messing is a big Lucille Ball fan

Fans can't get over Messing's resemblance to the iconic female actor.
Fans can't get over Messing's resemblance to the iconic female actor.  © Imago Images / MediaPunch

Among the other comments Messing retweeted:

"Debra is Lucy reincarnated all the way!"

"Casting this role should be based on acting & comedic talent, as well as the 'free spirit' that was rampaging through Lucille Ball's personality. I'm not sure there are many better suited for this role than @DebraMessing. The resemblance is certainly a plus."

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"The 'I love Lucy' W&G episode is more than enough proof! That role should be yours!"

The reboot of Will & Grace aired its We Love Lucy episode this past April. In it, Messing's Grace argues that living with Will (Eric McCormack) is like Lucy living with Ricky, and the homage kicks off from there.

Messing engaged late Monday with user @Importantverbs, who tweeted, "Choosing to believe that @DebraMessing was unavailable or something." The actress replied, "Oh no, I'm available."

One of the many replying to that particular exchange, @CBreeze27, wrote, "Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball??! I love her, but noooooo oh no. Bad match. Don't see it. I envisioned @DebraMessing playing Lucy since the early Will & Grace days. Always told everyone she born to play her. Physical comedy is a thing. Make this happen!"

People also commented about 51-year-old Bardem being in the running to play Ricky and put Oscar Isaac's name out there as a younger option. Isaac, 41, will play Duke Leto Atreides in the upcoming film Dune.

Note: Messing didn't retweet any of the posts that talked about Ball's expressive face, Messing's expressive face, and Kidman's, well, not-so-expressive face. But that didn't stop others from commenting about it, and about Kidman as Ball in general.

Cover photo: Imago Images / MediaPunch

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