Lucille Ball’s pal says Nicole Kidman ‘embodied’ the late star in 'Being the Ricardos’: She ‘got her down’

Aaron Sorkin's 'Being the Ricardos' stars Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz.

Stern, who previously served as Ball’s production assistant in her 1986 series "Life with Lucy," wrote a book in 2011 about their friendship titled "I Had a Ball." On Saturday, he’ll be appearing at The Hollywood Museum’s first authors forum and book signing, which will feature several celebrity and bestselling authors.Stern, who has seen the film four times already, said he’s been rooting for Kidman despite the initial criticism she received."I was one of the few people who was not a naysayer from the very beginning," he explained. "From day one, I knew that this would not be the story of Lucy Ricardo. She embodied Lucille Ball, the actress. She really did. And I think if people see this film for pure entertainment, they will enjoy it."Stern admitted that when he first saw the film, he "wasn’t really thrilled" — not because of Kidman’s performance, but because he said it was strange seeing his friend’s life being portrayed on the big screen.

"I did not know Lucille in the ‘40s or ‘50s," he said. "I wasn’t born until the ‘60s. But it was weird seeing somebody you know on the giant screen being portrayed. I had to step away from knowing her. I saw it a second time and I realized it’s an honor. Here’s somebody I knew. And to be honest, I didn’t realize how big of a star she was until she passed away… She never thought there would be a movie about her life. She always said she was just a working actress. But she means so much to people."Stern said he was a fan of Ball before he started working for her. And they became so close that Ball herself described Stern as her "No. 1 fan."