Cate Blanchett Cast As Lucille Ball In New Biopic

Cate Blanchett is to be cast as Lucille Ball in an upcoming biopic produced by the late American actress’s two children – Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr – and written by Aaron Sorkin, according to The Wrap.

The website reports that Australian star Blanchett will play the TV sweetheart in a movie that will focus on Ball’s twenty-year marriage to Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz from 1940 to 1960. The couple created and starred in the hugely successful sitcom ‘I Love Lucy’, the very first such show to be filmed in front of a live audience.

Cate Blanchett will be portraying '50s TV star Lucille Ball

Ball gave birth to their daughter in 1951 and their son in 1953, before the couple divorced in 1960. She then married stand-up comedian Gary Morton the following year, and ran their company Desilu, which produced the original ‘Star Trek’ series, from 1962 until her death in 1989 at the age of 77. She was nominated for 13 Emmy Awards throughout her career, of which she won four.

More: Cate Blanchett to receive fellowship from British Film Institute

The project, whose script is reportedly being written by Sorkin, who has previously overseen ‘The West Wing’ and The Social Network. It has the blessing of Ball’s two children, who will be co-producing alongside Escape Artists. No director or any other casting news has yet been announced.

Blanchett is certainly a big name star to land for the project, and she’s of course used to featuring in biopics. She won an Oscar for her role in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator in 2005, and film audiences will see her portraying ’60 Minutes’ reporter Mary Mapes in Truth, which recounts the real-life events of the journalist uncovering a story about then-President George W Bush.

She’s also hotly tipped to scoop an Oscar for her forthcoming role in Todd Haynes’ Carol, in which she plays a fictional 1950s heroine. Playing Lucille Ball will therefore give her the chance to play a real-life ‘50s star!

More: “That’s your f***ing question??” – Cate Blanchett burns reporter after cat question