It seems fitting that just a few weeks after HBO premiered a Los Angeles Lakers-themed drama, Winning Time, the team’s local rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, are getting a miniseries on a rival cable network. However, FX’s The Sterling Affairs isn’t about a chapter of Clippers history that the team would love to revisit. Instead, it’s going to focus on the downfall of former Clippers owner, Donald Sterling.
Via Deadline, former Modern Family star Ed O’Neill has been cast to play Sterling in the six-episode miniseries. O’Neill is primarily known for his comedic roles, including his portrayal of Al Bundy for 11 seasons on Married…With Children. However, O’Neill has occasionally taken on more dramatic parts on shows including The West Wing, John From Cincinnati, and the 2003 reboot of Dragnet.
Jacki Weaver and Laurence Fishburne have also been cast in The Sterling Affairs. Weaver will portray Donald’s wife, Shelly Sterling, while Fishburne will play Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers, the former coach of the Clippers. The miniseries will take place against the backdrop of Doc Rivers’ quest to bring the Clippers to the NBA finals after Donald Sterling’s openly racist remarks were exposed by his jilted mistress, V. Stiviano.
In the aftermath of both the affair and Stiviano’s damaging recordings, the NBA banned Stirling for life while Shelly made arrangements to sell the Clippers to billionaire Steve Ballmer in 2014.
The Sterling Affairs was adapted by screenwriter Gina Welch from Ramona Shelburne’s ESPN 30 for 30 podcast of the same name. Welch and Shelburne are executive producing the miniseries alongside Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Kevin Bray has been signed to direct the first block of episodes, which he will also executive produce.
FX hasn’t set a start date for production, or a date for The Sterling Affairs to premiere. But as with all FX original series, it will stream the next day on Hulu.
