Javier Bardem Defends His Casting As Desi Arnaz On ‘The View’: “Our Craft Is Becoming Someone We Are Not”

When Spanish actor Javier Bardem was cast as I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s film Being the Ricardos, he faced some backlash for portraying a Cuban man. While appearing on today’s episode of The View, Bardem defended his casting by noting that “[as actors], our craft is becoming someone we are not.”

“I think we are going to a place now where everybody is very sensitive about representing minorities, and I am absolutely supportive of that,” he said. “I think it’s fine to really… give a chair at the table to people that are not represented.”

Bardem revealed that the Bringing the Ricardos team originally reached out to a Cuban actor about playing Desi, but later contacted him when that casting didn’t work out. “I was ready. I did the work, and I really worshipped the fact that the was a Cuban, and what he represented to the Cuban community,” he added. “I worked hard to earn it.”

“We cannot criticize an actor or an actress for playing a part because they are not from that place, or they don’t share the sexual orientation of that character,” Bardem argued. “I think that’s really framing and limiting the craft of an actor, which is something that is beyond the logic. It’s about the act of the expression, and that’s where we as an audience have the joy to see the skills of the actor or actress, and how far they can go to make it real.”

The View airs weekday at 11/10c on ABC. Being the Ricardos is now streaming on Prime Video.

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