The passing of O.J. Simpson, the former NFL running back whose legacy was forever tarnished by the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, has ignited more interest in understanding not only his 1995 acquittal in the criminal case for the murders but also just the man himself.
Who was O.J. Simpson? For many, that means turning to films and documentaries about Simpson and the trial. Here are the top four things to watch to understand the case of O.J. Simpson.
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O.J.: Made in America
Widely considered to essential documentary on O.J. Simpson, the Academy Award-winning documentary film chronicles the role race and celebrity played not only in Simpson's life, but also the criminal trial and his subsequent legal troubles. This documentary does an expert job showing how racism in America is an essential part of understanding the criminal trial and how it was used to potentially win an acquittal in the murder trial. O.J.: Made in America is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series and can be streamed on Hulu and ESPN.
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson
Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Crime Story debuted with the Emmy-winning The People v. O.J. Simpson. The scripted series focuses exclusively on the criminal trial and does an excellent job showing all sides of the case, the prosecution, the defense and the impact the trial had on popular culture and the ongoing conversation about racism in America. The series won multiple Emmys, including for stars Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown. It can be streamed on Hulu.
O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession?
After Simpson's acquittal, he did a series of interviews and projects pondering—and profiting from—the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. While any money made would eventually go to the Brown/Goldman families because of a 1997 civil case where Simpson was held libel for the murders, this nonetheless did not stop him from participating in the 2006 book If I Did It and a filmed conversation with HarperCollins editor Judith Regan to be aired on Fox. Because of the backlash to the book and Fox special, Regan was fired from HarperCollins and the special never aired. Eleven years later it was released as O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession? The full conversation between Regan and Simpson can be viewed on YouTube.
O.J.: Trial of the Century—25 Years Later
If O.J.: Made in America is too long of a documentary for you, the Discovery documentary O.J.: Trial of the Century—25 Years Later is the one to watch. Using archival footage, it offers a play by play for the criminal trial as it happened. O.J.: Trial of the Century—25 Years Later can be streamed Discover Plus.
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