American Crime Story

American Crime Story

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	2016 (2016)
Founder	Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
Key people	Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, Brad Simpson (executive producers)
Products	Biographical crime drama anthology series
Parent	FX Networks

American Crime Story is a U.S. biographical crime drama anthology series created by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who also act as executive producers alongside Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Simpson. It represents the second entry in the American Story anthology, succeeding American Horror Story. Each installment functions as a standalone miniseries with no narrative overlap. Although Alexander and Karaszewski departed following the inaugural season, they continue to receive executive producer credits. The show broadcasts on FX and was confirmed for a fourth season renewal in January 2023.

The debut season, The People v. O. J. Simpson, dramatizes the legal proceedings of O. J. Simpson’s murder case, adapted from Jeffrey Toobin’s book The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson. It premiered on February 2, 2016. The sophomore season, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, portrays the killing of designer Gianni Versace by Andrew Cunanan, based on Maureen Orth’s Vulgar Favors. This season aired between January 17 and March 21, 2018. The third installment, Impeachment, centers on the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, drawing from Toobin’s A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, with its premiere on September 7, 2021.

By August 2021, development was underway for a potential fourth season titled Studio 54, focusing on the ascent and decline of Studio 54 proprietors Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. However, as of September 2024, executive producer Brad Simpson has indicated that production has yet to advance.

The People v. O. J. Simpson (2016)

This season, adapted from Jeffrey Toobin's The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson, examines the murder trial of O. J. Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.) by focusing on the prosecution's confidence, defense tactics, and the fraught interactions between the Los Angeles Police Department and the African-American community in Los Angeles that contributed to reasonable doubt.

The ensemble cast features Sterling K. Brown portraying Christopher Darden, Kenneth Choi as Lance Ito, Christian Clemenson playing Bill Hodgman, Bruce Greenwood as Gil Garcetti, Nathan Lane in the role of F. Lee Bailey, Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark, David Schwimmer portraying Robert Kardashian, John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, and Courtney B. Vance embodying Johnnie Cochran.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace (2018)

Drawing from Maureen Orth's Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History, this season narrates the July 1997 murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez) by serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss).

Additional cast members include Ricky Martin portraying Antonio D'Amico and Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace.

Impeachment (2021)

The third season, titled Impeachment, draws its inspiration from the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal and is adapted from Jeffrey Toobin's book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.

The cast features Sarah Paulson portraying Linda Tripp, Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky, Clive Owen in the role of Bill Clinton, Margo Martindale as Lucianne Goldberg, Edie Falco playing Hillary Clinton, and Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones. Initially slated for a September 2020 debut, its premiere was postponed due to scheduling conflicts with Murphy and complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the network contemplated delaying the release because of the 2020 election. Ultimately, the season premiered on September 7, 2021.

The People v. O. J. Simpson

On October 7, 2014, FX commissioned a ten-episode season of American Crime Story, developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Executive producers included Alexander, Karaszewski, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Falchuk—who are also known for co-creating series such as Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story. Murphy directed the pilot episode. Additional executive producers were Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, with Anthony Hemingway and D. V. DeVincentis serving as co-executive producers. All episodes were penned by Alexander and Karaszewski. The project originally began development at Fox before transitioning to FX.

Proposed Katrina Seasons

A second season entitled Katrina was initially announced, drawing from Douglas Brinkley's The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This version featured Annette Bening as Kathleen Blanco, Matthew Broderick as Michael D. Brown, and Dennis Quaid portraying George W. Bush. Subsequently, the source material shifted to Sheri Fink's Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital, concentrating on critical decisions at Memorial Medical Center during Hurricane Katrina. Sarah Paulson starred as Dr. Anna Pou in this iteration. While Cuba Gooding Jr. and Courtney B. Vance were expected to reprise their roles from the first season, only Paulson remained after the change in source material; efforts were made to reassign other cast members to new roles.

Although initially planned as the second season, production on Katrina was postponed until 2018, with The Assassination of Gianni Versace taking its place as the second installment. By February 2019, FX president John Landgraf confirmed that the Katrina project had been cancelled and would not move forward within the series lineup.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace

Announced on October 18, 2016, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story was designated as the third season following the initially planned Katrina season. British author Tom Rob Smith was confirmed to write several episodes, including the premiere directed by executive producer Ryan Murphy. After concluding the first season in April 2016, creators Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski did not return for the subsequent season. In June 2017, production on Katrina was delayed until early 2018, allowing Versace to replace it as the second installment, which aired in early 2018.

Impeachment

Initially announced in January 2017 as a fourth season centered on the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal and inspired by Jeffrey Toobin’s book A Vast Conspiracy, this installment was intended to succeed Katrina. However, by April 2018, Ryan Murphy disclosed that the project had been canceled.

The Clinton–Lewinsky scandal storyline was revived on August 6, 2019, as the third season under the title Impeachment. Although originally scheduled for release in September 2020, production commenced in October 2020. Monica Lewinsky participated in the project as a co-producer. It was also confirmed that Hillary Clinton would appear in the series, albeit with a limited role.

Studio 54

Prior to the debut of Impeachment, on August 13, 2021, a prospective fourth season called Studio 54 was announced. This season aimed to explore the ascent and downfall of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, focusing on their famous 1970s nightclub and concluding with their conviction for tax evasion. As of September 2024, executive producer Brad Simpson has stated that there are no active production plans.

Casting

For the inaugural season, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sarah Paulson were the first to be cast as Simpson and Marcia Clark, respectively. Soon after, David Schwimmer joined portraying Robert Kardashian. In January 2015, John Travolta was cast as Robert Shapiro, who also took on producer duties. February 2015 saw Courtney B. Vance cast as Johnnie Cochran, with Connie Britton announced in March to play Faye Resnick. April brought casting announcements including Sterling K. Brown as Christopher Darden, Jordana Brewster as Denise Brown, and Kenneth Choi as Judge Lance Ito. By May, Selma Blair had been cast as Kris Kardashian Jenner, followed by Nathan Lane joining in July as F. Lee Bailey.

In February 2017, for the unproduced Katrina season, casting included Annette Bening as Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and Matthew Broderick portraying Michael D. Brown. That same month introduced Édgar Ramírez and Darren Criss playing Gianni Versace and Andrew Cunanan for The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Initial rumors about Lady Gaga playing Donatella Versace were later refuted; instead, Penélope Cruz was ultimately cast. In April 2017, Ricky Martin joined the cast as Antonio D'Amico, with Annaleigh Ashford later added to portray Elizabeth Cote, a friend of Cunanan’s. Additional roles included Finn Wittrock as Jeffrey Trail.

Regarding Impeachment, producer Ryan Murphy confirmed in February 2017 that Sarah Paulson would star but not as Hillary Clinton. By August 2019, Paulson was assigned the role of Linda Tripp, alongside Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky and Annaleigh Ashford portraying Paula Jones. Oscar-nominated actor Clive Owen was cast as Bill Clinton, with Anthony Green playing Al Gore. In January 2020, Billy Eichner joined to portray journalist Matt Drudge, while Betty Gilpin was cast as conservative commentator Ann Coulter. Edie Falco’s casting as Hillary Clinton was announced in March 2021. Colin Hanks became part of the ensemble in June 2021. Due to scheduling conflicts in August 2021, Gilpin departed and was succeeded by Cobie Smulders.

Filming

The initial season's principal photography commenced on May 14, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. Evidence from set photographs reveals that filming for Versace began in early May 2017, taking place in Miami, Florida. Paulson confirmed that production for the third season would start in Los Angeles, with official filming launching on November 13, 2020.

Promotion

In October 2015, FX introduced its first promotional trailer for The People v. O. J. Simpson, which featured an Akita dog leaving bloody paw prints behind. Later that month, a teaser was released showing Travolta as Shapiro interrogating Simpson—whose face remained hidden—about the murder of his former wife. Another teaser presented Simpson undergoing a lie detector examination.

November saw the release of two additional teasers: one depicted Simpson composing a suicide letter with narration by Gooding Jr., while the other portrayed the police pursuit of Simpson’s white Ford Bronco amid cheering crowds.

The complete trailer and accompanying poster debuted in December, illustrating Simpson contemplating suicide in Kim Kardashian’s childhood bedroom as Robert Kardashian intervenes.

In September 2017, FX revealed the first teaser for The Assassination of Gianni Versace, which showed doves flying away from outside Versace's former mansion following gunshots. A second teaser that month depicted Donatella Versace placing flowers on a coffin.

Broadcast

The series made its global debut in Canada on FX on February 2, 2016. In the Philippines, it premiered on CT on February 3, 2016, while in India it launched on STAR World Premiere HD and Hotstar on February 8, 2016. The UK premiere occurred on February 15, 2016, with the second season beginning on BBC Two on February 28, 2018. Israel saw its premiere on February 22, 2016. In Australia, the first season aired as a miniseries titled The People vs OJ Simpson on Network Ten between March 6 and May 8, 2016. Ireland broadcast the show Thursdays at 10:15 p.m. on RTÉ One starting October 2016.

Both the first and second seasons were made available worldwide (excluding Canada and German-speaking Europe) via Netflix in February 2017. However, by March 1, 2022, the series was removed from Netflix globally and transitioned to Hulu in the United States later that month. Internationally, it has also begun shifting to Disney+ and Star+ platforms across Latin America.

Critical response

The debut season of American Crime Story garnered widespread critical praise, achieving a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 94 reviews with an average score of 8.8/10. The critical consensus emphasized its exceptional writing, direction, and performances centered around a timely narrative that evokes strong reactions. On Metacritic, it earned a score of 90 out of 100, signifying "universal acclaim."

The sophomore season received favorable critiques as well, holding an 88% approval rating from 98 critics on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7.2/10. The consensus highlighted its complex murder mystery plot and Darren Criss’s remarkable portrayal. Metacritic assigned it a score of 74 out of 100 for "generally favorable reviews."

The third season attracted more mixed opinions, securing a 69% approval rating from 74 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics remarked on its tension between delving into the scandal’s human aspects and succumbing to media sensationalism; nevertheless, performances by Beanie Feldstein and Sarah Paulson were lauded. Metacritic rated it at 61 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews."

Accolades

Impeachment: American Crime Story was honored with the ReFrame Stamp, an award presented by the gender equity initiative ReFrame alongside the industry resource IMDbPro, recognizing productions that exhibit gender-balanced recruitment in pivotal production positions.

Award	Year	Category	Recipient(s)	Outcome
American Cinema Editors Awards	2017	Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television	Adam Penn, Stewart Schill, and C. Chi-yoon Chung ("Marcia, Marcia, Marcia")	Template:Nom |
	2019	Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television	Emily Greene ("A Random Killing")	Template:Nom |
Artios Awards	2017	Television Movie or Mini-Series	The People v. O. J. Simpson	Template:Nom |
	2019	Limited Series	The Assassination of Gianni Versace	Template:Nom |
American Film Institute Awards	2016	Top 10 Television Programs	The People v. O. J. Simpson	Template:Won |
	2018	Top 10 Television Programs	The Assassination of Gianni Versace	Template:Won |
Art Directors Guild Awards	2017	Excellence in Production Design for a Television Movie or Limited Series	Jeffrey Mossa ("100% Not Guilty", "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia", "Manna From Heaven")	Template:Nom |
	2019	Excellence in Production Design for a Television Movie or Limited Series	Judy Becker	Template:Nom |
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Awards	2022	Top Rated Television Series	Andrew Skrabutenas (Impeachment)	Template:Won
BET Awards	BET Awards 2016	Best Actor	Courtney B. Vance	Template:Nom
British Academy Television Awards	2017	Best International Program	Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson	Template:Won
Cinema Audio Society Awards	Cinema Audio Society Awards 2016	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Movie or Mini-Series	John Bauman et al.	Template:Won
	Cinema Audio Society Awards 2018	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Movie or Mini-Series	John Bauman et al. ("The Man Who Would Be Vogue")	Template:Won
Costume Designers Guild Awards	21st Costume Designers Guild Awards (2019)	Excellence in Contemporary Television	Lou Eyrich and Allison Leach	Template:Won
Critics' Choice Television Awards	5th Critics' Choice Television Awards (2015)	Most Exciting New Series	American Crime Story	Template:Won
	rowspan="6" | 7th Critics' Choice Television Awards (2016)	Best Movie/Miniseries	The People v. O.J. Simpson	Template:Won
		Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries	Cuba Gooding Jr.	Template:Nom
		Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries	Courtney B. Vance	Template:Won
		Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries	Sarah Paulson	Template:Won
		Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries	Sterling K. Brown	Template:Won
		Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries	John Travolta	Template:Nom
	rowspan="5" | 9th Critics' Choice Television Awards (2019)	Best Limited Series	The Assassination of Gianni Versace	Template:Won
		Best Actor in a Movie/Limited Series	Darren Criss	Template:Won
		Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Limited Series	Finn Wittrock	Template:Nom
		Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Limited Series	Penélope Cruz	Template:Nom
		Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Limited Series	Judith Light	Template:Nom
Directors Guild of America Awards	69th Directors Guild of America Awards (2017)	Best Miniseries or Television Film	Ryan Murphy ("From the Ashes of Tragedy")	Template:Nom
	69th Directors Guild of America Awards (2017)	Best Miniseries or Television Film	John Singleton ("The Race Card")	Template:Nom

See also

• Monster (U.S. TV series), a true crime anthology created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for the streaming service Netflix.