Debra Messing declares she is 'available' for Lucille Ball biopic

Debra Messing reveals she wants to play Lucille Ball in a new movie because she nailed the icon on Will & Grace – after news Nicole Kidman is up for the part

Nicole Kidman is reportedly in talks for a Lucille Ball biopic.

But Debra Messing seems to feel she would be a good fit for the role after playing the icon on Will & Grace. On Monday she shares on her Twitter page that she is up for the job.

When one fan tweeted: ‘Choosing to believe that @DebraMessing was unavailable or something :),’ she quoted it and wrote: ‘Oh no, I’m available.’

Plugging away: Debra Messing said on Twitter on Monday that she is available to play Lucille Ball in a new bio movie

The real deal: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, pictured in 1955, became part of TV history as the stars of the pioneering American sitcom I Love Lucy from 1951 to 1957

Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing the upcoming biopic Being The Ricardos for Amazon after his streaming success with The Trial Of The Chicago 7 for Netflix.

While Nicole is said to be the pick for Lucy, Javier Bardem is in talks for the role of her husband and co-star Desi Arnaz, Deadline reported Monday.

On the last season of the Will And Grace revival Debra did an impersonation of Lucille Ball in character for I Love Lucy.

She re-created a string of classic moments from the original sitcom, including Lucy’s ‘Vitameatavegamin’ ad and her fumbling attempts to work at a chocolate factory.

Throwback: On the last season of the Will And Grace revival Debra did an impersonation of Lucille Ball in character for I Love Lucy; pictured with co-star Eric McCormack

Uncanny: She recreated a string of classic moments from the original sitcom, including Lucy’s ‘Vitameatavegamin’ ad and her fumbling attempts to work at a chocolate factory

When the news broke that Nicole could be tapped for the role Debra got to work strenuously plugging herself for the part instead.

One fan pointed out that Debra told Variety last year that she had previously been unwilling to play Lucille Ball for a TV project.

‘Like 15 years ago people would say: “Hey, do you want to do like a made for TV movie or something?” And I always felt like: “Oh, I would not even touch that. Like she is untouchable,”‘ Debra shared with Variety at the time.

However by this Monday when a Twitter user brought up the quote Debra said: ‘Ummmmmm, I changed my mind,’ with a winking emoji.


Side by side: While Nicole Kidman (left) is said to be the pick for Lucy, Javier Bardem (right) is in talks for the role of her husband and co-star Desi Arnaz, Deadline reported Monday

Debra also retweeted several people saying they would prefer her as Lucy, including fellow sitcom star Valerie Bertinelli who wrote: ‘Debra Messing was robbed.’ 

She went onto retweet such messages as: ‘No way!!! Debra Messing would be perfect!! I always said that she was the closest thing to Lucy to come around in a long time. I love Nicole Kidman but I cannot see her as Lucy.’

Another Twitter user wrote: ‘Nicole Kidman??? Debra Messing is the perfect choice for this role. Love you, don’t always agree with you, but you totally hit the mark on this,’ and was rewarded with a retweet from Debra. 

Desi, who played Lucy’s bandleader husband Ricky Ricardo on their program, had a tumultuous marriage to her in real life.

Putting in the elbow grease: When the news broke that Nicole could be tapped for the role Debra got to work strenuously plugging herself for the part instead

She filed for divorce for the first time in 1944, reportedly over his philandering and drinking, but they got back together before splitting up permanently in 1960.

In the meantime they produced two children and the sitcom that etched them into TV legend, running from 1951 to 1957.

They also starred in movies together throughout their marriage, including Forever, Darling and the Vincente Minnelli comedy The Long, Long Trailer.

Despite their divorce, in which she called their marriage ‘a nightmare,’ Lucy and Desi remained publicly amicable for the rest of his life.

Lucy married Borscht Belt comic Gary Morton in 1961 and stayed with him until her death in 1989, while Desi married one Edith Hirsch in 1963.

Edith and Desi both died of cancer one year apart – she passed on in 1985 and her husband, who loved cigars from his native Cuba, succumbed to lung cancer in 1986. 

Aaron Sorkin’s new biopic is about a single week spent making an episode of I Love Lucy during which Lucy and Desi’s marriage is shaken.

The turbulent week, reportedly running from the table read to the taping in front of a studio audience, is said to include a professional landmine for the couple as well.

As seen in 1958: She filed for divorce for the first time in 1944, reportedly over his philandering and drinking, but they got back together before splitting up permanently in 1960

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