It’s April 2014, and the NBA playoffs have begun, capturing everyone’s attention. However, TMZ released the audio recording of the decade: an NBA owner discrediting a race that makes up most of the team.
Clipped, now streaming on Hulu, is a six-part miniseries based on the podcast The Sterling Affairs, which discusses the scandal and downfall involving LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Sterling, portrayed by Ed O’Neill, was banned from the NBA and forced to sell the team after audio recordings were released of him making racially insensitive comments, primarily targeting the black community.
The series also focuses on Doc Rivers, portrayed by Lawrence Fishburne, who was the LA Clippers head coach from 2013 to 2020. His initial goal is to see the Clippers make it to the playoffs, but his mission quickly changes once the tapes go public. Now his focus is on his players’ mental health and best interest.
The cast also includes Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom, The Silver Lining) as Shelly Sterling, Cleopatra Coleman (The Last Man on Earth, The Shadow of The Moon) as V. Stiviano, and Kelly AuCoin as Andy Roeser.
You want more as you watch Sterling lie to his wife about his relationship with Stiviano, and as she schemes to essentially use him to get rich. When she realizes she’s getting played and potentially sued by Shelly Sterling, Stiviano decides to hatch a plan of pure pettiness to ruin the man she claimed to have a close relationship with. Weaver and Coleman, both Australian actresses, found it challenging to film the scenes where they had to fight because their real-life relationship is anything but what the series portrays.
I had the opportunity to speak with the cast of the series. When asked what attracted them to these roles, they all mentioned one thing—the writing. O’Neill, known for his happier roles such as Ed Bundy from Married with Children and Jay Pritchett from Modern Family, took on a different role with this persona. We see O’Neill in a darker light, almost villain-like, which you would not expect from him. To my surprise, he played the role exceptionally well. The series also sheds light on the love triangle involving Sterling, his wife Shelly, and his assistant V. Stiviano, who is responsible for recording Sterling and later leaking those recordings
Fishburne had the opportunity to speak with Doc Rivers, gaining insight into Rivers’ personality, humor, and values. This helped him to perform accurately and intensely. Throughout the series, we see both Rivers and Sterling bump heads due to Sterling’s lack of respect for his players and his coach. One scene showcasing Fishburne’s exceptional acting is when he reprimands Sterling for bringing guests into the locker room while players were still showering and getting dressed after the game.
This series addresses racism, power, and white privilege, while also highlighting the significant impact of a caring coach on a team.