In the first two seasons of FX’sAmerican Crime Story,Scott Alexander,Larry Karaszewski,Ryan Murphy, and the rest of the creative team tackled the huge American tragedies ofO. J. SimpsonandGianni Versace. For season three, they’re going straight to the top.Impeachment: American Crime Storywill center on the nation-rocking sex scandal between PresidentBill Clintonand internMonica Lewinsky. And as reported byVariety, they just found their Clinton:Clive Owen.
Owen joins the previously announcedBeanie Feldsteinas Lewinsky,American Crime StoryvetSarah PaulsonasLinda Tripp, andAnnaleigh AshfordasPaula Jones.Hillary Clintonwill play a small role in the season, but producers are still in the middle of casting her.Sarah Burgesswill serve as head writer on the season, based onA Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, a nonfiction book byJeffrey Toobin.
I’m not going to lie: The decision to cast Owen as Clinton is… surprising. Owen is what I would call “one of the most British actors alive.” He’s best known for his roles that alternate between sophistication and brute, terrifying force – and when he does try for an American accent (Sin City,Gemini Man), you’re able to just hear that English accent slipping in the corners and crevasses. He’s definitely not the intuitive choice to play the All-American charmingly Southern twang of Bill Clinton. But then again,American Crime Storyhas a history of surprising casting against type to incredible results, especially in the O. J. Simpson season (Travolta? Schwimmer? Nathan Friggin' Lane? Forget about it). And we don’t know the take Burgess and her creative team has on the former President – perhaps they want their Clinton to have some of Owen’s brusque anger. I loveAmerican Crime Storyin general, and I’ll be approaching Owen’s performance in this next season with a dose of cautious optimism.
For more onAmerican Crime Story, here’sFX chairmanJohn Landgraf’s comments on the political timeliness of the new season. Plus, check outour analysis of the second season, andour praise of Sarah Paulson in the first season.
