Marcia Clark Reacts to The People v. O.J. Simpson: "It's Reliving a Nightmare"

Sarah Paulson plays the former prosecutor in the TV show and she received high praises from Clark

By Chris Harnick Feb 03, 2016 5:16 PMTags
American Crime Story, The People v. O.J. Simpson, Marcia Clark, Sarah PaulsonAP; FX

The People v. O.J. Simpson has a fan in somebody with very close ties to the series and actual events of the O.J. Simpson murder trial: Marcia Clark. Clark, the prosecutor on the case, stopped by The View to discuss the new FX series.

"I think it's amazing," she said. "It's really amazing. I can't watch it the way most people do, to me it's reliving a nightmare." Clark noted "every bit is awful" and "it hurts," but that's a measure to how good a job Ryan Murphy and the team behind the show did.

"They're getting the big stuff so right," she told hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Candace Cameron Bure, Raven-Symoné and guest host Sara Haines. Clark praised the show's tackling of the racial tensions and aspects of the case in 1995 and the sexism involved with her. "No one wanted to talk about it," she said, noting women would even come up to her during her time on the lecture circuit and say they didn't experience that.

"I think it took guts and vision," she said of tackling the underlying issues. "And I got the gift of all time to be played by Sarah Paulson."

Paulson, who pulled double-duty on The People v. O.J. Simpson and American Horror Story: Hotel, has been open about her experience playing Clark. The two met shortly before filming wrapped and Paulson revealed Clark immediately apologized for … the hair. The two apparently closed down the restaurant they were in and Clark admitted she was afraid to meet her, but Paulson surpassed all of her expectations.

"She's phenomenal," Clark said. The former prosecutor admitted she's been a fan of Paulson's for years. "What a beautiful, nuanced performance…if nothing else, watch for her performance," Clark told the hosts.

FX

Clark said she's happy viewers are having discussions about important issues, like racism and sexism, but "let's not forget two people were murdered" and there was no justice for Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. "That painful experience we shall not forget," she said.

Now a crime author and defense attorney for the indigent, Clark said she originally became a prosecutor to help victims. "I wanted to protect the victims. There are so many and I want to do right by them, I want to take care of them," she said.

The People v. O.J. Simpson airs Tuesdays, 10 p.m. on FX.

Watch: Sarah Paulson Is Wigging Out on "American Crime Story"