Lucille Ball’s Daughter Blasts Biopic ‘Being The Ricardos’ As ‘A Crock Of Poop’ – ‘Totally Wrong’

Four years after its release, Aaron Sorkin’s biopic Being the Ricardos continues to generate strong reactions—this time from someone who knew Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz better than anyone: their daughter, Lucie Arnaz.

While the film received critical acclaim and earned three Oscar nominations for acting, Lucie has made it clear she believes the movie strayed far from the truth when depicting her famous parents and their iconic sitcom, I Love Lucy.

Speaking recently at a Hollywood screening of Lucy & Desi Home Movies, a 1993 documentary special offering a more intimate look at the legendary couple, Lucie didn’t hold back.

Trump’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

She revealed that she had tried to collaborate with Sorkin during production in an effort to correct what she felt were misrepresentations—particularly in how the film portrayed her mother’s relationships with her writing team.

“I tried to work on it and correct the incorrect parts, especially [my mother’s] relationship with the writers,” Lucie, now 73, said.

“Totally wrong, right? She adored those people. They got along so well; none of that backstabbing, crazy, insulting stuff.”

She didn’t mince words when describing her reaction to the dramatic liberties taken in the film: “It was so wrong,” she added, calling it “such a crock of poop.”

What do you all think of the new trailer for BEING THE RICARDOS starring Nicole Kidman & Javier Bardem? Coming to theaters on December 10th and on Prime Video on December 21st #BeingTheRicardos #AaronSorkin #FilmTwitter pic.twitter.com/k9srwrdSPR

— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) November 10, 2021

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Lucie also criticized the film’s portrayal of tension between I Love Lucy co-stars Vivian Vance and William Frawley. According to her, that tension was greatly exaggerated.

“Overdone,” she said flatly. In Lucie’s eyes, the dynamics on set were far more cordial and collaborative than the film suggested.

Despite her efforts to provide insight and correct inaccuracies, Lucie found that Aaron Sorkin was largely unreceptive to her input.

“You can’t talk to Aaron. He’s Aaron Sorkin,” she said, suggesting that his reputation and confidence made it difficult for him to take criticism. Although he allowed for some “meaningful consultation,” Lucie recalled one dismissive comment that summed up his attitude: “‘Well, what do you know? You were 15 months old.’”

Lucie wasn’t alone in her concerns. Keith Thibodeaux, who played Little Ricky on I Love Lucy, also attended the screening and expressed confusion over the movie’s tone and direction.

“It’s well done and all that, I just didn’t get it,” said Thibodeaux, now 74.

Aaron Sorkin, 64, declined to respond directly to their remarks when contacted by People magazine.

However, in previous interviews, he defended his creative choices.

In 2021, he told IndieWire that the premise of Being the Ricardos—that I Love Lucy was created to save Lucy and Desi’s marriage—was grounded in reality. “Desi wasn’t around that much, he was touring with his orchestra,” Sorkin said.

“Lucy had to be in L.A., she wanted her marriage to work, she wanted a family. She wanted Desi to play her husband, which was not a crazy idea.”

Official poster for Aaron Sorkin’s BEING THE RICARDOS #NicoleKidman #JavierBardem #FilmTwitter pic.twitter.com/HynfLUNBES

— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) October 19, 2021

Sorkin went on to explain that Lucy often joined Desi on tour during weekends and would perform with him onstage, using skits written by their comedy team.

“There was reason to believe the idea would work. I Love Lucy exists to save the marriage,” he concluded.

But Lucie clearly doesn’t agree with that interpretation of her parents’ motivations or their dynamic. While Sorkin’s take may have made for dramatic storytelling, Lucie seems to feel it came at the cost of truth.

One area where Lucie did express support, however, was in Nicole Kidman’s performance as Lucille Ball. Although she had issues with the film overall, Lucie praised Kidman’s portrayal of her mother.

“Nicole did a spectacular job,” she told Palm Springs Life in 2021. “Boy, what she did was astounding. She’s got such poise and class.”

The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Actress for Kidman, Best Actor for Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz, and Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons as William Frawley.

Yet even those accolades haven’t silenced criticism from those closest to Lucy and Desi.

Nicole Kidman stars as Lucille Ball in the first teaser trailer for Aaron Sorkin’s #BeingTheRicardos. pic.twitter.com/lhGiBDXWJf

— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) October 19, 2021

Both Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz passed away decades ago—Desi in 1986 and Lucy in 1989—leaving their daughter as one of the last living witnesses to their real lives behind the scenes.

And when someone like Lucie Arnaz calls a film about her parents “such a crock of poop,” it’s a strong reminder that even the most well-crafted biopics can miss the mark when it comes to honoring the people they portray.

Connect with Vetted Off-Duty Cops to Instantly Fulfill Your Security Needs

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.