‘American Crime Story’ Will Star Cuba Gooding Jr. As O.J. Simpson
American Crime Story, a new miniseries on FX, will tell the tale of the O.J. Simpson murder case. The Hollywood Reporter says that Oscar winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. has been tapped to play Simpson, and American Horror Story’s Sarah Paulson will appear as Marcia Clark.
The full title of the show is American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. It will be based on the book by Jeffery Toobin titled The Run Of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson. The ten part mini-series is the first installment of the American Crime Story series, which each year will examine a different famous crime.
Rolling Stone reports that the first season of American Crime Story will examine the O.J. Simpson murder trial from the perspective of the lawyers involved. The show will explore the behind the scenes dealings and negotiations that involved both the prosecution and defense. Perhaps most interestingly, American CrimeStory will take a look at how the strained relations between the LAPD and the African American community were enough to cast a shadow of doubt into the minds of the jurors about Simpson’s guilt.
American Crime Story marks the first time that Cuba Gooding, Jr. has had the lead in a TV series, according to the Wall Street Journal. Gooding’s career has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride in recent years. After winning an Oscar for his role in 1996’s Jerry Maguire, Gooding has been cast in a number of less than successful films, including Daddy Day Camp, and the somewhat disappointing effort from Disney, Snow Dogs. Gooding is no doubt hoping that American Crime Story, along with the upcoming Selma, which debuts in limited release on Christmas Day, will give his career a boost.
Sarah Paulson, who will play Simpson’s prosecutor, Marcia Clark, in American Crime Story, has appeared in three of the first four seasons of American Horror Story on FX. Paulson has earned two Emmy nominations for her work in American Horror Story as well as a third for her role as Nicole Wallace in the HBO movie, Game Change.
Golden Globe winners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski will write at least the first two episodes of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. The series will be directed by Ryan Murphy, of Glee and American Horror Story fame. The Wall Street Journal says there is no official date for the premier of American Crime Story, but Murphy is looking towards an air date in January 2016.
American Crime Story brings O.J. Simpson back into the news again. As recently reported in the Inquisitr, Simpson made the news in October by appealing for release from prison, where he is currently serving time for a 2008 robbery and kidnapping conviction.
[Image via Rukkle]
