Ripped right out of the headlines, "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" is one of the most anticipated shows premiering next month. It is a dramatization of the controversial titular trial that shook America for decades.
While some viewers understandably have qualms with the accuracy of the retelling of the uber-complicated case, the star-studded ensemble and the crew behind the series guarantee that every aspect of it is well-researched and fact-checked.
The primary basis for "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" is "The Run of His Life" by CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. It was then the job of screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski to translate it into a script.
"I think we're very proud to how close we stayed to the truth while creating drama out of recent history," Alexander told Entertainment Weekly. It is, however, to be noted that with the miniseries only running for 10 episodes, some portions were modified.
"If we're gonna get dinged, it's because we have to consolidate things. It's a dramatic retelling. We've consolidated time. We've consolidated characters. But in terms of the truth of what happened, I feel like we've been really honest," executive producer Brad Simpson promised.
"The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" also marks the return of John Travolta to the small screen. His last TV stint was "Welcome Back, Kotter" which was almost four decades ago.
"The thing that sold me finally was not the sensationalism of the piece but more that it was going to be an echo of how it changed society," the actor told Entertainment Weekly. The "Saturday Night Fever" star will play the role of Robert Shapiro, one of Simpson's attorneys.
Cuba Gooding Jr. will portray Simpson. The unforgettable Johnnie Cochran, Simpson's top attorney, will be played by Courtney B. Vance in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." David Schwimmer will play another one of his attorneys, Robert Kardashian.
Other cast members include Sarah Paulson (as Marcia Clark), Sterling K. Brown (as Christopher Darden) and Bruce Greenwood (as then-District Attorney Gil Garcetti). "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy will be executive producing.
"The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" premieres Feb. 2 on FX.
