How 'The People vs. O.J. Simpson' Cast Prepared for Their Roles

You know, if you're not old enough, let me tell you something: The OJ Simpson trial captivated this country. America seemed paralyzed by a baffling murder, the stunning blonde, her husband, the NFL great on trial for murder, denying it all tonight, how Hollywood is coming to terms with the situation. case and what the actors thought about OJ then versus now here's ABC's Deborah Roberts we, the jury in the action mentioned above, found defendant Orenthal James Simpson not guilty of a crime of murder before that infamous verdict nearly a hundred million watched how OJ Simpson fled the police in that two-hour Bronco chase Ford Bronco possible point I Peter Jennings at ABC News headquarters let's go immediately to a movie in Los Angeles it felt like a made-for-TV movie now it's one has two victims in Brentwood Brentwood meets Las Vegas Murdered in Brentwood, the captivating case with its memorable

cast

of characters is back in a 10-part FX miniseries, The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as OJ Simpson, this was the most difficult role I have ever done.

It took me about a month after filming the show to finally get back into my right frame of mind. Simpson continues to claim that he is innocent and that he did not kill his ex-wife. Nicole Brown Simpson and his friend Ron Goldman, the miniseries chronicles the nearly nine-month trial. Kenny Simpson's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, is played by John Travolta, his first television role in decades. So what was compelling enough about this to bring you back to television, the material was powerful and the commentary it was still making on contemporary issues about the legal system, but the judicial system about racism, another key player in the courtroom drama, the no-nonsense prosecutor Marcia Clark, played by Sarah Paulson, with that unmistakable curly hair that would become press fodder for nine decades. trial month I was also thinking, what are you doing?

Why is your hair like that? Why do you do it? Know? And the truth is, it really wasn't the point and shouldn't have been on my mind at all. Who can forget Simpson? charismatic defense dream team Johnnie Cochran played by Courtney B Vance well to be respectful I'm trying to win Robert are you a lawyer, yeah well I used to be one but not a criminal. David Schwimmer with the characteristic gray stripe transforms into the Simpsons' close friend, Robert Kardashian, why? Damn, were you there alone? I don't know, man, at that time no one knew much about Robert Kardashian.

He's just a normal guy who suddenly found himself a year later incredibly famous, uncomfortable with notoriety. Kardashian never lived to see the explosive fame of his daughters. and his ex-wife would later enjoy shuara says he spoke to Kris Jenner and discovered things few of us knew about OJ's confidant. He was incredibly loyal, compassionate and generous. Perhaps the most valuable thing for me was knowing that he was a man of deep faith, very religious. man, I think he was conflicted at times and I think his feelings and beliefs changed during the course of the trial in a documentary the secret tapes of the OJ case Kris Jenner remembers seeing his ex-husband's face when the verdict was announced, believe.

He was in shock, he was definitely stunned, I mean, you could look at his face and see him as someone I had never known in my entire life. I know, like he was floored, that was the verdict. One of Schwimmer's scenes was actually filmed at the Kardashians' old house, give me the gun, give me the gun, what was that scene like for you? One of your closest friends has a gun to his head and is about to kill him, so what do you do? You do everything you can to stop it. Simpson, please, police with his friend AC. hoods behind the wheel this is the real 911, let me tell the

people

who are making a TV series about OJ Simpson, the first thing they tell you is let me tell you he was wearing the Bronco Chase, it happened that

people

are standing next to the road, right?

Do you remember where you were during that Bronco chase, yeah, watching the next game, you know, and then they cut to the Bronco in a little corner of the screen and everyone was like that, so J Simpson put a gun in his mouth two hours later , what the nation paralyzed here. This is Nia, where is the driveway? Simpson is back at his Brentwood mansion and will soon be arrested on murder charges. We have enough evidence to convict him and prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in an instant. Marcia Clark becomes the blinding center of attention that she once had. the courage of her convictions and he wanted to go all the way to make sure that this man was locked up and suddenly thrown onto a national stage and the predominant conversation was about what she looked like, her mannerisms and how It was him.

She was feminine enough and she was loud and it was a good day, Miss Clark. I think the series shows how a high-profile murder trial soon turns into a racially charged courtroom drama. 70% of whites thought OJ was guilty. 70 percent of blacks thought he was innocent. Did this movie shatter your perceptions in one way or another for me? The biggest discovery was the things that were not presented to the courts. The Fuhrman Tapes. The behind-the-scenes legal battle, including the Dream Team's strategy. Mark Fuhrman pointing the finger at the Los Angeles Police Department, which has a history. of alleged misconduct officers accused of planting evidence who is handling and framing Simpson did you plant or fabricate any evidence in this case the actors here the really explosive audio tapes of Detective Mark Fuhrman spouting racial slurs like this five six mark fuhrman is a line of racist genocidal perjury the stack that this man said about black people and me was the frustration and anger that I felt, you know, having children, having two children who are now at that age where they have to deal with not only with gang violence but also with police brutality, it just gets me.

Mr. Frustrated and Angry Getting Out of the Car Now I'm in the Miniseries Triggered Personal Emotions Around Race and Encounters with the Police at Cafe Vance Married to Actress Angela Bassett says he personally identifies with his character's struggles, how Did that impact you as an actor where we live? in a very nice neighborhood and it happened to me when the police came to

their

house and they had heard that someone was walking through the neighborhood and I came out and they were yelling, kneel, put on your hands, bahama, back and eventually they would. realize and recognize that they had made a mistake, but the differences in life like what we are seeing today with all these episodes in Chicago and in the Ferguson case we should not repeat it, that is why I think it is so important that we are doing this project and more has evolved since we accepted the project over the last year, seemed to intensify with a series of recent cases alleging police brutality.

The Simpsons story struck a chord with viewers and also raised the question that many are uncomfortable with. Did you come away with a stronger opinion about whether he is guilty or innocent? Are you convinced in your mind now? Well, what is the truth. No, no, I'm not convinced in any way. You know that a group of his colleagues found him innocent, but my opinions. are everywhere now for Nightline I'm Deborah Roberts in Los Angeles, American crime story People vs OJ Simpson premieres February 2 on FX