P-Valley star J. Alphonse Nicholson and Dopesick star Cleopatra Coleman are joining FX’s upcoming limited series The Sterling Affairs, with Nicholson playing Chris Paul. The series dramatizes the events surrounding Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Coleman will play V. Stiviano, Sterling’s mistress. They join Sheldon “Shel” Bailey, Sarunas J. Jackson, Charlie McElveen, Kelly AuCoin and Austin Scott. Other cast members include Laurence Fishburne, Ed O’Neill and Jackie Weaver.
The series follows the rise of Doc Rivers as the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, right at the time when the team's owner, Donald Sterling, becomes embroiled in scandal as his racism is revealed to the public. According to the official description:
The Sterling Affairs tells the behind-the-scenes story of Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers’ quest to bring a championship to one of the historically worst franchises in all of sports during the impending downfall of the team’s owner, Donald Sterling, whose notoriously racist behavior is brought to light amid the power struggle between his wife of 60+ years, Shelly Sterling, and his mistress, V. Stiviano.
O'Neill plays Sterling with Weaver playing his wife.
. Fishburne plays Rivers while AuCoin plays former Los Angeles Clippers President Andy Roeser. Scott, Nicholson, Bailey, and McElveen are playing Blake Griffin, D’Andre Jordan, Matt Barnes and JJ Reddick, respectively–the basketball players who are unwittingly caught up in the fray.
'The Sterling Affairs' is written by Gina Welch and is based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast of the same name.
Welch also executive produces the series with Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Shelburne and Zanne Devine also executive produce with Kevin Bray, who will direct the first block of episodes. Color Force’s Nellie Reed will co-executive produce with Rembert Browne producing. FX Productions will produce.
