The one role that “changed things” for Sterling K. Brown
In Cord Jefferson’s comedy-drama American Fiction, Sterling K. Brown undoubtedly stole the show. Starring alongside Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Issa Rae, Brown seemed to give the most memorable performance, leading to an Oscar nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
The effort in Jefferson’s film has established Brown as one of American cinema’s most sought-after acting talents and saw the St Louis-born star follow up on the success of his prior years. This included performances in Black Panther, Hotel Artemis and Marshall.
However, Brown was something of an unknown talent in the ever-changing world of American entertainment until the 2016 season of American Crime Story, titled The People v. O.J. Simpson, was released. Brown performed brilliantly as lawyer and prosecutor Christopher Darden, who worked on the O.J. Simpson case.
The show, also starring Kenneth Choi, Christian Clemenson, Cuba Gooding Jr, Nathan Lane, David Schwimmer and John Travolta, among others, explored the infamous murder case of Simpson. It delved deep into the story of the former NFL player, who was tried and acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, who were both stabbed outside Brown’s home in Los Angeles.
“It changed things a bit,” Brown once admitted in an interview with IndieWire, pointing out the impact The People v O.J. Simpson had on his career. “When Darden came along, folks were like, ‘Where have you been this whole time?’ When I met the producers on that show, in particular, they ‘couldn’t find anybody.’”
He added: “And they were going to South Africa, London. We have to leave these wonderful United States of America in order to find capable people? On behalf of Andre Holland, Brian Tyree Henry, and Leslie Odom Jr, there are plenty of trained actors in these United States.”
Evidently, Brown felt that he was there waiting for such an opportunity all along and that the producers very nearly passed him by, looking elsewhere.
Brown had been perceived as something of a journeyman actor, especially on television, until The People v. O.J. Simpson came along. His performance as Christopher Darden, indeed, as Brown professed, served as something of a turning point in his career, and he began to enjoy more of the limelight.
From there, Brown went on to give acclaim performances in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Hotel Artemis, Marshall, Black Panther and American Fiction, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’. But he might not have enjoyed such success were it not for his role as Darden in the FX series revolving around the widely-publicised O.J. Simpson murder case.
