*“The People V. O.J. Simpson” premieres next week on FX with Cuba Gooding Jr. in the eponymous role. The 10 part miniseries is less about O.J. himself and more about the day-to-day strategies employed by both legal teams and the issue of race that was pushed into play by Johnny Cochran.
“This show is really about what happened between the night of the murders and the verdict. One hundred million people watched that Bronco chase and 100 million people watched the verdict,” said Brad Simpson at the recent TCA Winter Press Tour, one of the executive producers along with creator Ryan Murphy. “It was a galvanizing event in American history. It brought America together, and then it tore America apart, largely on racial lines.”
He continued: “What we were interested in were the character journeys that went on during this trial, the real people who were involved, and also, how you go from that moment of a Bronco fleeing the police, where everybody thought O.J. was going to be convicted, to the not guilty verdict a year later.”
Gooding Jr. has said this is the hardest role he’s ever had to play. Interestingly, his extensive research did not include a meeting with the real O.J. at his current home in Lovelock Correctional Center.
“I had no desire to visit him in his present condition, being incarcerated, being a shell of a man.” Cuba said. “I have relatives who are incarcerated and friends, and it breaks a man’s soul and spirit. And at some point you start to believe whatever reality that you, you know, went in there thinking, even if it isn’t the truth.”
Below, Cuba explains what it would take for him to feel that a face-to-face with O.J. is warranted:
“The People V. O.J. Simpson” premieres Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 10 p.m. on FX.
Watch the trailer below:
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