“Being the Ricardos” is a new film that looks at the personal and professional lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Actors Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem play the Hollywood power couple, and were in New York on Thursday for the film’s premiere.
 
Kidman said she doesn’t believe Ball received enough praise for her accomplishments.

“She really, I don't think received that in her lifetime, really the due that she was. I mean yes, she got the Kennedy honors right, you can still layer on that praise for her,” said the Oscar winner. “And also I think the complication of her, is beautiful to show that and then her marriage with Desi as much as it didn't work out. I love that you see what came out of it because, okay, not all relationships are going to make it but when a relationship like this gives you the jewels, the children, and then also the show the creativity that came out of that. I think you feel that I hope you feel that from this. But as you can tell, I'm crazy about her.”

Bardem said there were many reasons why he wanted to play Arnaz.

“He was a man of passion and man of commitment, no shame. Absolutely the opposite of that, being proud of his origins, being proud of who he was his family and, and he was trying to really make people understand that being a foreigner is not a sin, is not a it's not a problem, it’s something beautiful about listening to others listening to people that we are not used to, because that's the way to learn as a way to connect with each other. So there were many great aspects of these kinds of things I wanted to play besides being the greatest comedian of that time,” said Bardem.

“I Love Lucy” was the most-watched television show of the time, with 60 million viewers in the 50s. The show continues to draw a large audience today in syndication.

“Being the Ricardos” opens in theaters in limited release on Dec. 10 and will then stream on Amazon Prime Video.