the one and only Nicole Kidman!

Oh, my goodness.

[ Cheers and applause ]

You're playing Lucille Ball

in this new movie. -Yes.

-Now, this is -- How do you go about this?

It is an impression? No.

You can't do an impression.

-I mean, when Aaron originally approached me, he was like,

"I do not want you to do an impersonation of her,"

which, thank God, because I can't.

I wouldn't be able to.

So, he said, "I really want to discov--"

I mean, it's about this marriage and Desi and Lucille.

And I call her Lucille so that you really can

sort of understand that it's not the "I Love Lucy" show.

-Yeah, there are two -- the way you did it,

like, "I Love Lucy" is one character

and then Lucille Ball is --

-Yeah, and Lucille Ball always said

she as a woman was not funny.

And you would be able to attest to this --

comedy is hard.

[ Laughter ] -Oh!

I thought you were gonna say...

[ Laughter and applause ]

-What did you think? -I don't care.

I mean -- I mean --

Yes, comedy is definitely hard. Yeah.

-Very hard. -Yes.

-But -- -And it ain't funny right now.

-Oh! What are you talking about?!

-Oh, no. [ Laughter ]

-But she was one of the best physical comedians.

-Yeah, and I mean, for me as an actor,

and primarily a dramatic actor, I was like, "Oh, my God.

How do you do this?" and...

-You nailed it. -When I started to study her,

I was like, "oh, I love playing this woman,"

because the physical comedy and the movement of the body

and being able to release into that as an actor

is something I've never done.

-What you did on it that was fantastic

is that you do Lucy when the show is on

and your voice is higher, and you -- "Ricky!"

and you're doing this whole -- -Waaaah!

-Yes. Oh, my God. [ Laughter ]

That is that.

Waaah! And that's what she does.

-Waaah! Waaah! -And in real life -- yeah.

And in real life when she talks, she's a smoker --

smoked a lot. -She had a very deep voice.

She was a heavy smoker. -Yeah.

I say it when you're not here,

but I'll say it when you're here --

you're one of the best actors that ever lived; I love you.

-No. -Yes, you're amazing.

Everything you're in, I absolutely buy it.

Hook, line, and sinker, I'm in. I always go -- You are amazing

in every single thing. -I love it. I love acting.

I'm very privileged to be able to do what I love doing.

-You're fantastic. And please keep doing it.

I want to show everyone a clip. Here's Nicole Kidman

as Lucille Ball in "Being the Ricardos."

Take a look.

-Act one, interior,

the Ricardos' living room, night.

-Excuse me. Donald. -Y-Yes.

-Good morning. I'm Lucille Ball.

-I sure know that, Lucy. -I wanted to make sure

because you haven't been here in a while.

Is it because you've been going through puberty?

-I look young, yes, but I went through it a long time ago.

And I haven't been here because

I've been directing at "Danny Thomas."

-With the Communist kid? [Bleep] off.

-Jesus Christ. -You don't have to [bleep] off,

but you do need to know that Danny does jokes --

few people do it better -- I do physical comedy.

-I've seen every episode of the show.

-So have 60 million other people.

Are none of them professional television directors?

-She's kidding. -I can tell.

-I'm hazing you a little, Donald.

It's just my way of saying

I have no confidence in you at all.

-That's it. Nicole Kidman, everybody.

"Being the Ricardos" is in theaters December 10th

and available on Prime Video December 21st.

More "Tonight Show" after the break.