CLIPPED Trailer (2024) Cleopatra Coleman, Laurence Fishburne, Drama

CLIPPED Trailer (2024) Cleopatra Coleman, Laurence Fishburne, Drama

CLIPPED Trailer (2024) Laurence Fishburne, Cleopatra Coleman, Drama, Los Angeles Clippers, Sport Series
© 2024 - FX Networks

"I need to show them that I have the power." FX on Hulu has revealed an official trailer for a series called Clipped, about the other Los Angeles basketball team known as the Clippers. Hot on the heels of the HBO Max series Winning Time about the L.A. Lakers, this one is also about a controversial moment in this other Los Angeles team's (recent) history. FX's Clipped takes you behind the scenes of a notorious NBA owner's racist remarks, captured on a tape heard around the world. This series is based on the hit ESPN 30 for 30 podcast "The Sterling Affairs", charting the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization & even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape's impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league. Clipped features Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers, Jacki Weaver as Shelly Sterling, Cleopatra Coleman as V. Stiviano, and Ed O’Neill as Donald Sterling. Also with Kelly AuCoin, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Rich Sommers, Corbin Bernsen, Clifton Davis, and Harriet Sansom Harris. This looks much more dramatic and emotional than the other series.

Here's the main official trailer (+ poster) for FX's sports series Clipped, direct from Hulu's YouTube:

Clipped Series Poster

"The scandalous story of LA's other basketball team." The famed coach Doc Rivers (Fishburne) arrives as coach of the LA Clippers in 2013. With a promising roster of big personalities, he has the building blocks to win the franchise's first ever championship. The team's owner, Donald Sterling (O’Neill), is a well-known problem: he's cheap, he's erratic, he's a bully. But minimizing Sterling's influence to win a title becomes a personal quest for Doc. Meanwhile, a courtside power struggle is escalating between Sterling's ambitious personal assistant V. Stiviano (Coleman) and his wife and business partner of 60 years, Shelly (Weaver). FX’s Clipped is an Obama-era story of racial reckoning delivered via meme, in which V. and the Sterlings discover who really has the power in the internet age, and which leaves Rivers and his players wondering if the expulsion of one bad apple brings about the transformative change the media wants to celebrate. 🏀

Clipped is a series created and showrun by TV writer / producer Gina Welch, a writer on the other series "Ray Donovan", "Feud", "Castle Rock", "The Terror", and "Under the Banner of Heaven" previously. With writing by Rembert Browne, Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm, & Tracey Scott Wilson. Based on the podcast "The Sterling Affairs" by Ramona Shelburne. Featuring episodes directed by Kevin Bray. Executive produced by Gina Welch, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Zanne Devine, Ramona Shelburne, and Kevin Bray. Hulu/D+ will release FX's series Clipped streaming on Hulu starting June 4th, 2024 this summer. Look any good?
The scandalous story of LA’s other basketball team. Streaming June 4th on Hulu. Starring Laurence Fishburne, Jacki Weaver, Cleopatra Coleman, and Ed O’Neill.

FX’s Clipped goes behind the scenes of a notorious NBA owner’s racist remarks, captured on a tape heard around the world. The limited series charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and an even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.
Clipped on FX mirrors the canceled HBO show Winning Time, both depicting NBA drama with a focus on scandal and behind-the-scenes actions.
The limited series format of Clipped ensures a complete exploration of Donald Sterling's downfall, contrasting with Winning Time's premature cancelation.
Clipped and Winning Time sheds light on the impact of the selfish choices of team owners and highlights the women affected by their actions, adding to the compelling NBA drama.
The latest miniseries from FX, Clipped, shares a lot of key elements with a modern HBO classic that was canceled far too early. Starring Laurence Fishburne as NBA coach Doc Rivers, Ed O'Neill as Clippers team owner Donald Sterling, Jacki Weaver as his wife Shelly, and Cleopatra Coleman as his mistress V. Stiviano, Clipped is the latest true story from the world of sports to be used as the inspiration for a prestige cable drama. The show's trailer teases plenty of basketball action, all contrasted against the increasing tensions between the team and Sterling.

In that regard, it bears a clear similarity to another recent TV show based on the NBA, even beyond the premise of showcasing how a basketball team works on and off the court. While Clipped may be a more modern story and is defined as a miniseries instead of a more open-ended (and therefore potentially prematurely concluded) show, it bears more than a few similarities with the other recent NBA drama that ended up being canceled far too early. If anything, their shared themes and focus makes Clipped the ideal follow-up to the canceled HBO series.

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FX's Clipped Is The Latest Show Based On Real-Life NBA Stories
The upcoming FX miniseries Clipped is just the latest show to reimagine real-life events from the NBA as the basis for a TV series, highlighting the fertile storytelling ground found in the world of professional basketball. The show focuses on the 2014 Los Angeles Clippers and their championship ambitions amidst the scandals caused by then-team owner Donald Sterling's racist comments becoming public. Clipped showcases the drama both on and off the court for the team, as well as delving into the romantic entanglements between Sterling, his wife Shelly, and his mistress V. Stiviano.

In many ways, Clipped looks to be an ideal counterpoint to Winning Time, the HBO series that ran for two seasons and was canceled in 2023. That series focused on the Los Angeles Lakers and their massive run of successes with Magic Johnson in the 1980s, as well as the chaos caused by the team's rotating roster and changing coaches. Both shows seem to blend the tropes found in sports stories with a further exploration of the behind-the-scenes choices and decisions that can change the trajectory of an entire team's season.

Clipped & HBO's Winning Time Work As Companion Pieces
Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers and Ed O'Neill as Donald Sterling in Clipped
On top of covering similar subjects, Clipped and Winning Time are poised to work really well as companion pieces. Both shows focus on a Los Angeles-based NBA team vying to buck history and win a championship, tying the natural showy image of the city to the themes of both series. Both shows focus somewhat on the womanizing owner of the team, as well as the impact felt by their selfish choices. While Winning Time takes place largely in the 1980s and Clipped happens during the 2013-2014 NBA season, both shows underscore lingering flaws within society and sports.

Notably, both shows also go out of their way to highlight the women who are impacted by the owners and put a spotlight on them. In Winning Time, Jeanie Buss was a subtle focus of the show. The daughter of then-Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Jeanie's efforts to impress her father and make a name for herself within the Lakers organization were contrasted against his dismissive attitude towards her ambitions. By contrast, Clipped features Shelly's increasing suspicions about her husband, with the trailer also indicating a focus on Stiviano's grander ambitions for her role in the Clippers organization.

HBO Canceled Winning Time Too Early - And Clipped Proves It
Clipped Show FX 6
Winning Time was a controversial show for HBO. Many NBA called out Winning Time's changes to the true story of Magic Johnson's time on the Lakers. Coupled with a costly production, the series was canceled after season 2. Despite being a clear dramatization of real events, Winning Time was still a compelling and engaging look at the sport, featuring some great performances and strong direction from the likes of Adam McKay, Tanya Hamilton, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield.

Clipped underscores that there's room on TV for a high-stakes NBA drama, especially one that balances the basketball itself against the back-room deals and events that impact the teams. Winning Time had plenty of story left to tell but was canceled before it could fully explore the full weight of the Lakers Dynasty. By contrast, Clipped is a limited series, meaning it'll be able to fully explore the story of Donald Sterling's downfall without risk of being canceled before the story ends. It all sets up Clipped to perfectly fill the hole left by Winning Time's cancelation.
"Still me, Eleanor. Definitely still me. Cartilage Films has revealed an official US trailer for an indie drama titled Summer Solstice, set for small art house summer opening in limited theaters this June. The film originally premiered at the 2023 Provincetown Film Festival, as well as the Deauville, Woodstock, and BFI Flare Film Festivals. Summer Solstice centers on Leo, a trans man, and Eleanor, his cisgender and straight friend from college, who embark on an impromptu weekend trip together going upsate. They uncover old secrets, new challenges, and find the answer to the age-old question: can bad sex and good friends mix? Maybe! Maybe not? Starring Bobbi Salvör Menuez as Leo and Marianne Rendón as Eleanor. One early review praises this as "a remarkable little movie about finding emotional maturity through honesty, most importantly with yourself." This looks like it features two lovely lead performances within a heartfelt story.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Indies, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Bruce Wemple's Appalachia Demonic Horror 'The Hangman' Trailer
By Alex Billington
The Hangman Trailer
"Where are you going?" "Hell, baby." Dread has revealed an official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled The Hangman, the latest from genre filmmaker Bruce Wemple (of Lake Artifact, Monstrous, The Retreat, Dawn of the Beast, My Best Friend's Dead, The Tomorrow Job, Island Escape). This is now set for a VOD release this summer if any horror fans want to give it a look. The Hangman follows a father and son on a camping trip into deep rural Appalachia. A local cult has summoned an evil demon born of hate and pain, known to them as The Hangman, and now the bodies have begun to pile up. One more, the father wakes up find his son is gone. Starring LeJon Woods, Lindsey Dresbach, Richard Lounello, Jefferson Cox, Daniel Martin Berkey, & Mar Cellus. Wemple adds this amusing tease: "We set out to tell a story about the lengths a father will go to get his son back, including coming face to face with a bloodthirsty demon raised from hell. We can’t wait for audiences to come along for the ride." LeJon looks like he's rocking this.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Horror, Indies, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Fun Teaser for 'LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy' w/ Darth Jar Jar
By Alex Billington
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy Trailer
"History will be rebuilt." Get ready for some strange revisionist history in the Star Wars universe! Disney+ has revealed a wacky teaser trailer for their upcoming SW Special titled LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, showrun by the screenwriters behind last year's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Set for launch in September. A nerf-herder discovers an artifact that twists the Star Wars galaxy, swapping the roles of heroes and villains. He embarks on an adventure to restore order and emerge as the savior who reassembles the fractured galaxy. "You're going to see some things that you never thought possible." This is like Marvel's What If, but for Star Wars – including Ewok bounty hunters, Geonosian Jedi, and, amazingly, Darth Jar Jar voiced by Ahmed Best, along with the Dark Falcon, and much more. The talented voice cast features Gaten Matarazzo, Tony Revolori, Bobby Moynihan, Marsai Martin, Michael Cusack, & Mark Hamill back as Luke Skywalker. "This doesn't make any sense!" Ha ha - this looks like it'll be funny.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Star Wars, Streaming, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Official Trailer for Acclaimed Indie 'Ghostlight' Starring Keith Kupferer
By Alex Billington
Ghostlight Trailer
"The lines are the easy part. The hard part is the emotional journey." IFC Films has revealed the trailer for Ghostlight, an acclaimed indie drama that first premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. I caught it there and I have to say - this really is a gem, it surprised & moved me in many unexpected ways. Co-directors Alex Thompson & Kelly O'Sullivan's previous film, Saint Frances, received widespread praise on the regional festival circuit & national stage, including noms from the Indie Spirit Awards and The Gotham Awards. This is their latest film creation. When melancholic construction worker Dan finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater's production of Romeo & Juliet. As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss. Stars newcomer Keith Kupferer as Dan, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen, & Dolly De Leon. This might not be an easy one to convince anyone to watch, but I do highly recommend it.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Indies, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Trailer for Serial Killer Thriller 'Boneyard' with Mel Gibson & 50 Cent
By Alex Billington
Boneyard Trailer
"So it could be anyone?" Lionsgate has revealed an official trailer for an action thriller / serial killer mystery title Boneyard, which is being dumped on VOD this July if anyone wants to watch. The title card in the trailer even says this movie is "inspired by true crime stories" which probably means this script went into production because they wanted to capitalize on the obsession with true crime right now. When the remains of women are discovered in the New Mexico desert, an extensive investigation is launched. Inspired by true crime stories, this chilling crime-thriller follows detectives on a hunt for the killer. As each of their agendas and methods clash, a tangled web of intrigue casts suspicion in all directions. As usual. The film stars Brian Van Holt, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Nora Zehetner, Michael Sirow, Spice Williams-Crosby, Weston Cage, Gabrielle Haugh, and Mel Gibson. This looks exceptionally generic and derivative, with nothing new to offer other than another familiar "the killer is out there somewhere" story. Get a look below.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Holocaust Doc 'The Commandant's Shadow' Trailer About Rudolf Höss
By Alex Billington
The Commandant's Shadow Doc Trailer
"Two lives. Two stories. One wall that divided them." Warner Bros has unveiled a trailer for a documentary film titled The Commandant's Shadow, arriving in theaters this summer. It's showing for two nights at the end of May before launching on VOD to watch at home. Witness the historic moment over 70 years after the Holocaust when the son of the Commandant of Auschwitz meets an incredible survivor. It introduces us to the real Rudolf Höss and his family, the exact same family seen in The Zone of Interest film from last year. The focus is on his 87-year-old son Hans Jürgen Höss, who has to reckon with his father's dark legacy. The film features original excerpts of Rudolf Höss' long-forgotten autobiography, written shortly before his execution. His words are the ultimate proof of what happened at Auschwitz, from the perpetrator himself, countering denial and ignorance of the Holocaust. This compelling documentary explores the relationships of a mother and her daughter, a father and his son, and the long shadows cast by the crimes that impact generations. It raises questions about love, guilt, and forgiveness, but is ultimately a much needed story of hope, acceptance, and compassion. A powerful reexamination of unforgettable history and how it haunts us.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Netflix's Swedish Coming-of-Age Teen Drama 'A Part of You' Trailer
By Alex Billington
A Part of You Trailer
"I'm so tired of pretending like nothing's wrong." Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a Swedish teen coming-of-age film titled A Part of You, set for a streaming debut at the end of May this month. This latest offering for streaming in Sweden (and the rest of the world) is a story about life and death that portrays the experience of being 17 years old and feeling like your heart is about to burst from your chest. Agnes, a teen envious of her popular older sister Julia, faces upheaval when tragedy strikes. Forced to reinvent herself, she's on the cusp of attaining her dreams but must navigate the consequences of her choices. She struggles to make sense of herself and her new world in this emotional and bittersweet coming-of-age drama about those who are left behind. Starring Felicia Maxime, Edvin Ryding, Ida Engvoll, Alva Bratt, Mustafa Al-Mashhadani, Emil Hedayat, and Zara Larsson. This looks like a very emotional drama about grief, and the intense teenage desire to want to be someone else. Worth a look if you're into coming-of-age stories.

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🍿 › Posted on May 6 in Streaming, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Rebellious Pop Culture Doc 'The Teaches of Peaches' Official Trailer
By Alex Billington
The Teaches of Peaches Doc Trailer
"Every show had this power that I've never experienced..." Madman Films has unveiled the official trailer for an acclaimed documentary film titled The Teaches of Peaches, made by the two European filmmakers Philipp Fussenegger & Judy Landkammer. This first premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and opens in Germany this month, but still doesn't have any US release date yet. Seamlessly weaving together exclusive archival gems with dynamic tour footage, this documentary captures the transformative journey of quirky Canadian musician/performance artist Merrill Nisker into the internationally acclaimed cultural powerhouse that is Peaches. Film during her 2022 concert tour marking the 20th anniversary of her breakthrough album The Teaches of Peaches. Others that appear in the film include Peaches' frequent collaborators Feist, Chilly Gonzales, Shirley Manson. Through biting wit, Peaches advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights and tackles issues of gender & sexual identity, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. If you know Peaches, you already know, but if you don't know her - this trailer is fully NSFW. But it is still badass.

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🍿 › Posted on May 5 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
First Look Teaser for 'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat' Music History Doc
By Alex Billington
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Teaser
"But did he have rhythm?" Madman Films has revealed the first look trailer for an acclaimed documentary film titled Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat, made by Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez. This film is an entrancing look back at a major moment in global politics during the Cold War, intertwining music history & pop culture with these events. Jazz & decolonization are entwined in this historical rollercoaster that led musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach to crash the UN Security Council in protest against the murder of Patrice Lumumba. After Lumumba was murdered in 1961, the US State Department swings into action by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup in the country. The doc features excerpts from My Country, Africa by Andrée Blouin (narrated by Marie Daulne aka Zap Mama), Congo Inc. by In Koli Jean Bofane, To Katanga & Back by Conor Cruise O’Brien (narrated by Patrick Cruise O’Brien), and audio memoirs by Nikita Khrushchev. This trailer doesn't exactly represent the film's style, it's more of an intro to the context and political situation. Keep an eye out for this one soon.

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🍿 › Posted on May 5 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Trailer #2 for Star Wars Series 'The Acolyte' feat. Carrie-Anne Moss
By Alex Billington
The Acolyte Trailer
"She was my student, I trained her. Let me be the one to bring her in." Whoa! For May the 4th this year, Disney has revealed a second trailer for their next new Star Wars series titled The Acolyte, debuting in June this summer. (View the first trailer here.) The Acolyte is spearheaded by Bachelorette and "Russian Doll" creator Leslye Headland – who is directing & showrunning this series. An investigation into a crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master against a dangerous warrior from his past. The Acolyte is set at the end of the High Republic era in a world of "shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers", approximately 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes against Jedi, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. Starring Amandla Stenberg as Mae, Lee Jung-jae as Jedi master Sol, with Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Margarita Levieva, & Carrie-Anne Moss as Jedi master Indara, and Joonas Suotamo as Wookiee Jedi master Kelnacca. This looks dark and epic and intense, with lots of new Jedi. It's worth a look.

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🍿 › Posted on May 4 in Star Wars, Streaming, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
First Look Teaser for Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Movie with Adam Driver
By Alex Billington
Megalopolis Teaser
"Time stop!!" The French distributor Le Pacte has released the first look teaser for Megalopolis, unveiling the very first reveal of any actual footage from this intriguing new movie. Megalopolis is director Francis Ford Coppola's latest ambitious project, a $100M+ feature that he has been trying to make ever since he first conceived the film in 1979. The basic setup is: an architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster. It's not actually NYC, but a giant city like NYC hence the Megalopolis title. The architect's plan is opposed by the mayor, who has other ideas for the city. It's premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Main Competition in a few weeks (we'll be there!), which is why France gets to kick off the marketing. The Megalopolis ensemble cast includes Adam Driver as Caesar, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grave Vanderwaal, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman. This teaser is just one scene from the film with Adam Driver on top of a building (that looks like the Chrysler Building) & that's it so far.

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🍿 › Posted on May 4 in Cannes 24, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Classic Trailer Rewatch: Tim Burton's 'Mars Attacks!' Sci-Fi Comedy
By Alex Billington
Mars Attacks! Classic Trailer
"They blew up Congress! Haha!" Do you remember this one? Or do you remember not going to see this one? Back in '96, one of the hotly anticipated movies of the year was Tim Burton's wacky sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks! He'd just directed Ed Wood before and everyone was waiting to see him take that zaniness and make his own alien comedy, opening in December before the holidays. But perhaps he went a bit too zany? Because this one bombed and most people hated it. The film is a parody of other sci-fi B movies. Earth is invaded by Martians with unbeatable ghastly weapons and a cruel sense of humor. Produced & directed by Tim Burton, but not written by him. Starring Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, and Danny DeVito, among others. The filmmakers hired ILM to create the Martians using computer animation after their previous plan to use stop motion, supervised by Barry Purves, fell through because of budgeting issues. Even these trailers aren't that exciting, an early sign the movie wouldn't live up to the hype. Perhaps it deserves a fresh new look now?
Premiering Tuesday, April 30 as a Hulu exclusive, the spy thriller “explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London,” according to the official logline. “One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. In the shadows, mission controllers at the CIA and French DGSE must put differences aside and work together to avert potential disaster.”

Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo) penned the series, and the cast includes Yumna Marwan (Sky’s Little Birds), Dali Benssalah (Canal+’s Savages) and Josh Charles (The Good Wife).

Two episodes will launch on premiere day, followed by four weekly releases (for a total of six episodes).

Watch the trailer above, then keep scrolling for additional intel on FX’s upcoming slate.

Courtesy of FX
As previously reported, FX’s spring schedule includes the arrival of the second half of American Horror Story: Delicate, which arrives Wednesday, April 3. That will be followed by the Friday, April 26 premiere of The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses, a documentary feature examining the “systemic issues, questionable practices and urgent calls for change that have shaken horse racing to its core.”

Next comes Welcome to Wrexham Season 3, which will consist of eight episodes and hit the pitch on Thursday, May 2 at 10/9c, airing on FX (and streaming next day on Hulu).

Courtesy of FX
Lastly is Hulu-exclusive Clipped, which is based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs and promises to take viewers “behind the scenes of a notorious NBA owner’s racist remarks, captured on a tape heard around the world.”

Premiering Tuesday, June 4 with its first two episodes (followed by four weekly releases, for a total of six episodes), the limited series stars Laurence Fishburne (black-ish) as Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers; Ed O’Neill (Modern Family) as the aforementioned team owner, Donald Sterling; Jacki Weaver (Yellowstone) as Sterling’s wife and business partner Shelly; Cleopatra Coleman (The Last Man on Earth) as Sterling’s ambitious personal assistant V. Stiviano; Kelly AuCoin (Billions) as Sterling’s right-hand Andy Roeser; J. Alphonse Nicholson (P-Valley) as Chris Paul; Rich Sommers (Mad Men) as Clippers PR man Seth Burton; Corbin Bernsen (Psych) as Pierce O’Donnell; Clifton Davis (Madam Secretary) as NBA great Elgin Baylor; and Harriet Sansom Harris (Shining Vale) as Justine.
Ten years ago today, TMZ published an audio recording of former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling saying racist things surreptitiously captured by his mistress, V. Stiviano. The recording led to his downfall, and changed the NBA forever.

If you’re not a basketball fan, you might not remember the story. But FX’s limited series “Clipped,” which just got its first trailer today, makes a case for the Donald Sterling saga as a “People v. O.J. Simpson”-style story about race, class, power, and that unique corner of America known as Los Angeles.

Per FX, “Clipped” “charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.”

“Clipped” stars Ed O’Neill as Sterling, a man who made his fortune building an L.A. real estate empire; Laurence Fishburne as Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who joins the team and is immediately thrust into an uncomfortable position; Jacki Weaver as Sterling’s wife and business partner Shelly Sterling, who is tough as nails but is pushed to her limit; and Cleopatra Coleman as Sterling’s mistress V. Stiviano, whose vapid exterior is cover for a shrewd mind. The cast also features Kelly AuCoin, best known as famously bald banker “Dollar Bill” Wirtz on “Billions,” as a Sterling employee with a full head of hair.

The limited series is based on an acclaimed ESPN podcast called “The Sterling Affairs,” and was created by Gina Welch, who serves as executive producer and showrunner. Other EPs include “American Crime Story” Emmy winners Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, Zanne Devine, ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne, and Kevin Bray, who directed three of the six episodes.

“Clipped” premieres Tuesday, June 4 exclusively on Hulu.

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Laurence Fishburne has been cast as Doc Rivers in the FX limited series The Sterling Affairs based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast of the same name. Jacki Weaver is also attached to star in the series which tells the downfall of Los Angeles Clippers’owner Donald Sterling. Weaver will star as Sterling’s wife Shelly Sterling.

The six-episode series tells the behind the scenes story of Doc Rivers (Fishburne) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ quest to bring a championship to one of the historically worst franchises in all of sports during the impending downfall of the team’s owner, Donald Sterling, whose notoriously racist behavior is brought to light amid the power struggle between his wife of 60+ years, Shelly Sterling (Weaver), and his mistress, V. Stiviano.

READ: Prophecy: Kerry Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Daniel Dae Kim to Star in Podcast Drama Series

Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force (American Crime Story, Pose) is producing. Gina Welch serve as writer and executive producer on the series. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson of Color Force also executive produce along with Color Force’s Nellie Reed. Ramona Shelburne, the reporter and host behind the original podcast, will executive produce as well. Kevin Bray will direct the first block of episodes and serve as an executive producer on those episodes. Rembert Browne is a producer. FX Productions will produce.

“Gina Welch has done a tremendous job of adapting this story for FX, showing the historic resolve and grace of Doc Rivers and the Clippers players during this shocking event,” said Nick Grad, president of original programming for FX. “Building on Ramona Shelburne’s groundbreaking reporting, Gina, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson delve even deeper into this pivotal moment in modern sports.”

READ: FX Picked Up Blitz Bazawule’s The Scent of Burnt Flowers — Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Attached to Star

Jacobson and Simpson have a successful history with FX. The pair currently executive produce “American Crime Story” for the cabler, and are currently prepping both “American Sports Story” and “American Love Story.” They previously executive produced the critically-acclaimed FX series “Pose,” which wrapped up its run on the network in 2021 after three seasons. Color Force is currently under an overall deal with FX Productions.
FX's Clipped delves into the infamous racism scandal involving NBA team the LA Clippers, led by Doc Rivers against owner Donald Sterling.
The limited series showcases the players' perspective, including their disdain for Sterling's reprehensible actions, resonating in today's climate.
Clipped sheds light on race relations in basketball, with Laurence Fishburne starring as Head Coach Rivers in the fallout of Sterling's racist remarks.
FX’s newest venture into headline-grabbing true stories is the upcoming limited series, Clipped. The six-part series revolving around the notorious NBA team, the LA Clippers, just released a trailer for one of the most infamous times in their history. Starring Laurence Fishburne as Head Coach Doc Rivers, the series depicts the controversy revolving around owner Donald Sterling’s (Ed O’Neill) racism in 2013. A detailed press release for the series explains the context of these events.

“FX’s Clipped takes you behind the scenes of a notorious NBA owner’s racist remarks, captured on a tape heard around the world. Based on the hit ESPN 30 for 30 podcast ‘The Sterling Affairs,’ this limited series charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.”

As depicted in the trailer, this series has many moving parts. Rivers initially accepts the position as Head Coach with the motivation of elevating the worst team in the league to a Championship. This pressure is further complicated by Sterling’s messy personal life. While estranged from his wife, Shelly (Jacki Weaver), he pursues a relationship with his personal assistant V (Cleopatra Coleman), who has aspirations of her own. This dynamic culminates in V recording Sterling telling her to not “bring Black people to my games.” In the series, as in real life, this causes a scandal of epic proportions.

The ‘Clipped’ Trailer Delves Into Race Relations In Basketball
While Sterling was known for this racist rhetoric for decades, the recording of such inflammatory remarks put a fine point on just what he was allowed to get away with. The trailer shows Sterling giving season ticket holders access to the players in their private moments in the locker room, treating them like they are pieces of meat. Rivers attempts to protect the players, pushing back against the sense of ownership Sterling has over the people on the team.

“I’m used to a certain amount of people acting frickin’ normal,” Rivers growls in the trailer.

Race becomes a pressing issue as the trailer focuses on the players' perspectives as well. Many of the team members vocalize their hatred for Sterling, with one stating his devastation about having to explain to his children how he can work for someone so reprehensible. This scandal also affects Rivers, who Sterling also tries to exert control over. As the owner of the team tries to claim that Rivers is also his property, the great scene stealer retorts: “You’re not my owner!”

Stories like these resonate particularly because they continue to be topical. Though it is over a decade after the news broke, these themes still affect the world at large. FX has a brand of telling heightened stories that take place in the past of pop culture, but Clipped may be one of the most relevant. Formerly advertised as The Sterling Affairs, the series premieres on Hulu, on June 4.
FX's Clipped series follows the downfall of Clippers owner Donald Sterling after racist remarks, premiering June 4 on Hulu.
The series explores how Sterling's dysfunctional marriage and mistress led to the recording leak, impacting the Clippers organization.
Clipped sheds light on racism and discrimination in sports, delving into the scandal that forced Sterling to sell the team for $2 billion.
The Clipped trailer turns the infamous Los Angeles Clippers scandal into a drama series a decade after it occurred. Based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast, "The Sterling Affairs," FX's upcoming limited series chronicles the infamous scandal involving Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who was caught on tape making racist remarks, which led to his disgraceful downfall. The cast includes Modern Family's Ed O’Neill as Donald Sterling, Jacki Weaver as his wife Shelly Sterling, Cleopatra Coleman as his mistress V. Stiviano, and Laurence Fishburne as Clippers head coach Doc Rivers.

Today, FX released the first official trailer for Clipped. Watch it below:

Starting with the hiring of Doc Rivers, the trailer goes behind the scenes of the infamous Donald Sterling scandal. The trailer emphasizes how his dysfunctional marriage and mistress precipitated the release of the recording, and the effect it had on the Clippers organization and players, both on and off the court.

The Context Behind FX's Clipped Series
Doc Rivers, Donald Sterling & More
Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers and Ed O'Neill as Donald Sterling in Clipped
While HBO's Winning Time chronicled the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty during the early 1980s, FX's Clipped tells the scandalous story of LA's other basketball team, the Clippers, who have commonly been called cursed since they have never won an NBA championship. However, there was an air of optimism when Doc Rivers, who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, was hired as the Clippers head coach in 2013, which is when the FX series begins.

Winning Time Foreshadows Donald Sterling’s NBA Controversy
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Winning Time Foreshadows Donald Sterling’s NBA Controversy
Winning Time episode 1 foreshadows one of the NBA's biggest scandals by introducing future Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Rivers was hired to coach a talented roster that included Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan – the trio responsible for the Lob City era due to their propensity for highlight-worthy alley-oops. However, the Clippers quickly lived up to their reputation as a cursed team when their longtime owner Donald Sterling was caught on tape telling his mistress, "Don’t bring Black people to my games." Based on the Clipped trailer, Sterling's mistress V. Stiviano leaked the tape to TMZ in an ambitious attempt to take over control of the Clippers organization, which was unsuccessful.

Sterling's racist remarks were met with widespread condemnation and the NBA swiftly took action. In 2014, Sterling was banned from the NBA for life, fined $2.5 million, and forced to sell the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion. Along with going behind the scenes of this scandal, Clipped should explore how the controversy surrounding Sterling brought issues of racism and discrimination in professional sports to the forefront of public discussion.
Source: FX/Hulu

HBO had a hit with Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and now Los Angeles’ other NBA team is stepping to center court.

Except, the Los Angeles Clippers don’t have the winning history of the Lakers, so instead of focusing on the nonexistent glory years, it’s about one of the most glaring smears on the team’s name: Donald Sterling. It will be called Clipped, courtesy of FX and Hulu.

According to Deadline, it will be based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs.

The site adds that the limited series will summarize “the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less-functional marriage, and the precipitating tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.”

Embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling will be played by Ed O’Neill, head coach Doc Rivers’ role will be given to Laurence Fishburne, Alphonse Nicholson as Chris Paul, and Clifton Davis as Elgin Baylor.

It tells the 2013 story of Rivers accepting the job and having some pieces that could help them make a deep playoff run with DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, and led by Chris Paul. However, it all gets derailed when Sterling’s mistress known as V. Stiviano –ulterior motives in tow– recorded his irate rant over her posting a photo alongside Magic Johnson in 2014.

“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want,” he said in the audio that was infamously turned over to TMZ. “The little I ask you is … not to bring them to my games.”

The trailer shows a bright-eyed Fishburne excited, fresh off his championship-winning East Coast career coaching the Boston Celtics, hoping to do the same for the Clippers. Instead of focusing on building a winning roster, he’s met with a cheap, erratic and racist owner, forcing him to fight a morality battle as well.

Watch the trailer above and see how social media is reacting to the forthcoming limited series below.