Cate Blanchett in line to portray screen legend Lucille Ball

A biopic on the life of screen legend Lucille Ball looks like its on its way to the big screen and Aussie actress Cate Blanchett is in line for the lead role.

Lucy and Desi will be written by acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network, The Newsroom.) Both Blanchett and Sorkin have been attached to the project for sometime but its just been picked up Amazon Studios.

The story will focus on the lives of the film and TV star Lucille Ball and her band leader husband Desi Arnaz. The pair starred in the classic TV sitcom I Love Lucy and created the TV studio Desilu. After the couple divorced in 1960, Ball built up the studio finding success with TV programs including Star Trek and Mission Impossible.

The film project apparently has the blessing of the couples two children Lucy Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz Jr, and will draw material from both of their parent’s memoirs.

Lucille Ball began her career as a contract player for RKO studios in the 1940’s. After she married Cuban bandleader Arnaz in 1940 the couples moved into television. The their TV show ran for six years in the 1950’s and is still being aired around the world today.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s Ball fronted several additional sitcoms, most memorably Here’s Lucy which also starred her two teenage children.

Ball passed away in 1989, while her former husband Desi Aranz passed away two years earlier.

OIP Staff