News broke yesterday that Aaron Sorkin’s script, Lucy and Desi, has been picked up by Amazon Studios. The film will revolve around Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s lives during the filming of their iconic sitcom, I Love Lucy. It was also confirmed that Cate Blanchett will play Ball but no word on who will play Arnaz. However, Deadline did report that Javier Bardem is in the running to play Arnaz and not that I don’t love him as an actor, I feel like Desi Arnaz should be played by an actor of Cuban descent to honor his portrayal.
I started to brainstorm and I came up with my top 5 choices for Desi. They all have the right look, are of Cuban descent, fluent in Spanish, and are all the right age to play him. Arnaz’s age ranged from 34 to 40 during the series run. I’m even up for an unknown or new Cuban actor to play him.
Danny Pino
My number one choice to play Desi on the big screen is Danny Pino. The good news is that he’s played him before in 2003’s CBS special Lucy., Despite it being a disaster, Pino was the bright spot in the film and his portrayal of Arnaz is superior.
Born Daniel Gonzalo Pino, the American actor was born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents. He is best known for his work on television in Cold Case and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Bobby Cannavale
Cannavale is quite a prolific actor on television and the film screen. Born in Union City, NJ, to an Italian father and a Cuban mother, Cannavale has had an extensive acting career from his roles on Will and Grace, Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl to films like Shall We Dance?, Chef, and Ant-Man.
Cannavale would be an ideal choice look wise and he’s already shared the big screen with Blanchett in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.
David Fumero
Born in Havana, Cuba, Fumero is best known for his longtime role as Cristian Vega on ABC’s One Life to Live and appearances on Power, CSI: NY, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Greetings from the Shore. This could be a great opportunity for him to break out on the big screen.
Jordi Vilasuso
Jordi is best known for his television roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Numb3rs, Fashion House, All My Children, Days of Our Lives, and originating the role of Tony Santos on CBS’s Guiding Light.
He also starred in the Andy Garcia directed The Lost City about a family caught in the violent transition from the oppressive regime of Fulgencio Batista to Fidel Castro’s new government in the late 1950s.
Eddie Cibrian
My last choice for the role of Desi goes to Eddie Cibrian. Born to Cuban parents, Cibrian has had numerous roles in television and film, most recently in Rosewood and 2014’s Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club. Past roles included Third Watch, Sunset Beach, Baby Daddy, CSI: Miami, and Ugly Betty.
