FX’s ‘Clipped’: See The Cast vs. the Real People of LA Clippers Scandal

Ed O'Neill and Cleopatra Coleman play Donald Sterling and V. Stiviano in FX's 'Clipped'
Robert Mora / Getty Images; Kelsea McNeal / FX; Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images; Kelsea McNeal / FX
Swooon

‘Parish’ Is Out for Justice in the Explosive Season Finale

Will Gray be forced to get his hands dirty? Get a sneak peek at the final episode of the AMC series.

FX has unveiled the official trailer for Clipped, a new limited series based on the scandalous story of the NBA’s LA Clippers and their former owner, Donald Sterling (Ed O’Neill).

Officially set to premiere Tuesday, June 4 on Hulu, the series takes viewers behind the scenes of the events surrounding Sterling’s racist remarks being captured on tape for the world to hear. Based on the hit ESPN 30 for 30 podcast, The Sterling Affairs, the drama charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and an even less functional marriage, as well as the tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters trying to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.

Laurence Fishburne steps in to play famed coach Doc Rivers as he arrives to helm the LA Clippers in 2013. With a promising roster of players, Rivers has the building blocks to win the franchise’s first championship, but there’s one catch, Sterling is cheap, erratic, and a bully. As Doc works to minimize Sterling’s influence on the team, a courtside power struggle escalates between Sterling’s personal assistant V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman), and his wife and business partner Shelly (Jacki Weaver).

Clipped is an Obama-era story of racial reckoning in which V. and the Sterlings discover who really has the power in the internet age, and leaves Rivers and his players wondering if the removal of one bad apple will bring about positive change. In addition to O’Neill, Fishburn, Coleman, and Weaver, the series features Kelly AuCoin as Andy Roeser, J. Alphonse Nicholson as Chris Paul, Rich Sommers as Seth Burton, Corbin Bernsen as Pierce O’Donnell, Clifton Davis as Elgin Baylor, and Harriet Sansom Harris as “Justine.”

The limited drama is executive produced by showrunner and creator Gina Welch alongside Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Zanne Devine, Ramona Shelburne, and director Kevin Bray.

As we await the show’s arrival, scroll down for a closer look at some of the real-life figures at the center of this series alongside their onscreen counterparts.

FX’s Clipped, Premieres Tuesday, June 4, Hulu

Donald Sterling and Ed O'Neill for 'Clipped'
Robert Mora / Getty Images; Kelsea McNeal / FX

Ed O'Neill plays Donald Sterling

Shelly Sterling and Jacki Weaver for 'Clipped'
David McNew / Getty Images; Kelsea McNeal / FX

Jacki Weaver plays Shelly Sterling

V. Stiviano and Cleopatra Coleman for 'Clipped'
Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images; Kelsea McNeal / FX

Cleopatra Coleman plays V. Stiviano

Doc Rivers and Laurence Fishburne for 'Clipped'
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images; FX

Laurence Fisburne plays Doc Rivers

Chris Paul and J. Alphonse Nicholson for 'Clipped'
Streeter Lecka / Getty Images; FX

J. Alphonse Nicholson plays Chris Paul

Andy Roeser and Kelly AuCoin for 'Clipped'
Stephen Dunn / Getty Images; FX

Kelly AuCoin plays Andy Roeser