FX has ordered a limited series based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast “The Sterling Affairs” with Laurence Fishburne and Jacki Weaver attached to star, Variety has learned.
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.
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.”
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.
Fishburne is known for starring in films like the original “Matrix” trilogy, “Boyz n the Hood,” “The Color Purple,” and “Mystic River.” He was nominated for the Academy Award for best actor in 1993 for “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” On the TV side, Fishburne has recently starred in shows like “Black-ish,” “MacGruber,” “#FreeRayshawn,” and “Madiba.”
He is repped by CAA, Landmark Artists Management, and Del Shaw Moonves.
Weaver’s recent TV credits include “Yellowstone,” “Bloom,” and “Perpetual Grace Ltd.” In film, she has starred in projects like “Animal Kingdom,” “The Silver Linings Playbook” (for which she earned an Academy Award nomination), “The Disaster Artist,” and “Birdbox.” She will next be seen in the Apple series “Hello, Tomorrow!” and the Mark Wahlberg film “Father Stu.”
She is repped by ICM, Elevate Entertainment and Felker Toczek
Welch previously wrote for the FX series “Feud: Bette and Joan” and also worked on the upcoming FX series “Under the Banner of Heaven.” Her other credits include “Station Eleven,” “The Terror,” “Ray Donovan,” and “Castle Rock.”
She is repped by CAA, Grandview and Tara Kole. Jacobson and Simpson are repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham. Reed is repped by Felker Toczek. Shelburne is repped by CAA.
From Variety US