Cuba Gooding Jr has been cast as O.J Simpson in Ryan Murphy's 10-episode miniseries for FX. The show will focus on the infamous trial, with Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) playing the prosecutor Marcia Clark.

Cuba Gooding JrCuba Gooding Jr will star as O.J Simpson in Ryan Murphy's new FX Series American Crime Story: The People v O.J Simpson

The project marks the debut of Murphy's American Crime Story, described quite fancifully by Entertainment Weekly as "like a nonfiction version of HBO's True Detective". The full title of the first season is American Crime Story: The People v O.J Simpson and chronicles Simpson's two-count murder trial that captivated the nation in 1995. The series is based on the book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin.

More: check out our Cuba Gooding Jr pictures

The series is expected to be told from the perspective of the lawyers and, according to Deadline, will explore the behind-the-scenes dealings on both sides of the court. The site also reports that the show will portray how a "combination of prosecution confidence, defense wiliness, and the LAPD's history with the city's African-American community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt."

Sarah PaulsonSarah Paulson will star as prosecutor Marcia Clark

Murphy will of course executive produce, with Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson (The Hunger Games) and Brad Falchuk. Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (The People vs Larry Flynt) have signed on as screenwriters and we know that Murphy will direct at least the first episode. 

Gooding Jr recently wrapped filming Clement Virgo's The Book of Negroes with Ben Chaplin and Aunjanue Ellis. The movie is scheduled for release on Canada on 7 January 2015.

More: check out our Sarah Paulson pictures