Getty Image
The saga that led to former Clippers owner Donald Sterling earning a lifetime ban from the NBA was an absolutely wild story, so it makes sense that FX decided to revisit it with the miniseries Clipped. The show might be based in reality, but Austin Rivers is one of the many people who’ve taken issue with some fairly questionable casting decisions.
One of the biggest challenges of making a movie or television show based on true events involving famous people is tracking down actors who not only bear a resemblance to the notable name they’re playing but also possess the talents to portray them convincingly.
That can complicate a casting process where the ability to act usually takes precedence over likeness concerns that can at least be partially addressed in the makeup trailer, but at the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do to tackle that second issue.
I’d argue Ed O’Neill checked both of the requisite boxes in Clipped, the series where he plays Donald Sterling, the disgraced billionaire who owned the Los Angeles Clippers until TMZ published the racist remarks he made during a conversation with his mistress V. Stiviano in 2014.
The nature of the series meant the producers needed to cast actors who could step into the shoes of notable NBA figures including former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers (a central figure portrayed by Laurence Fishburne) as well as players including Blake Griffin, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul.
During a recent episode of the Off Guard with Austin Rivers podcast, the eponymous host (who was playing for the Pelicans when the scandal unfolded) got the chance to chime in on some of the “ridiculous” casting decisions he obviously feels left a lot to be desired.
@offguardpod Austin locks in on the #clipped casting. #laclippers #hoops #tv #nba #foryou
He praised Fishburne’s talents as an actor before saying he still has a hard time buying into his portrayal of his dad, noting, “The body of my father is just a little bit different. I’m not saying he’s 100% in shape, but he’s built a little bit different than Laurence Fishburne.”
He went on to say the actor who plays Steph Curry in Clipped looks like he should be the third baseman for the Padres as opposed to one of the best shooters of all time, quipped the guy who plays Chris Paul comes off as “my local AC man Fredrick,” and said the fictional equivalents of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Jamal Crawford simply look nothing like their real-world counterparts.
It’s pretty hard to argue he’s wrong.