Clive Owen to play Bill Clinton in Impeachment: American Crime Story

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Although the world is watching with fascination as the United States House of Representatives conducts impeachment hearings on President Donald Trump, it wasn't so long ago that another President, Bill Clinton, faced his own impeachment woes. On December 19, 1998 William Jefferson Clinton was impeached by the House for perjury and obstruction of justice after lying about a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was later tried in the Senate, however neither charge garnered the 2/3 majority needed to convict and remove the President. To call the situation and the subsequent media circus dramatic is like saying President Trump's makeup foundation is a little orange in color.

However, the circumstances of the Clinton impeachment make for great dramatic fodder and FX agreed, choosing the scandal as their subject for the third season of American Crime Story. American Crime Story recently cast its Monica Lewinsky with BOOKSMART's Beanie Feldstein and now it looks as though the FX show has settled on the man to play the 42nd President of the United States.

Deadline reports that Oscar nominee Clive Owen (CLOSER, GEMINI MAN) has signed on to play Bill Clinton for the cable network. It will be Owen's first television work in four years, when he last starred in Cinemax's critically acclaimed show The Knick. Television in fact is where the British actor got his start with 1987's British police drama Rockliffe's Babies. Owen will join FX vet Sarah Paulson who will play Linda Tripp and Annaleigh Ashford who will play Paula Jones.

I have to say this is kind of an unexpected choice for the role of Bill Clinton. While I have the utmost respect for Owen as an actor, he's often known for gritty, brutish roles like Dwight in SIN CITY or suave, sophisticated ones like Ray Koval in DUPLICITY. The role should give Owen the chance to show his range and I can definitely see him at least looking the part. It will be interesting to see how he handles that Arkansas accent though.

It should be noted that the first two seasons of American Crime Story have seen some unorthodox choices to play real life characters such as John Travolta as Robert Shapiro and David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian. Hell freakin' Ricky Martin played Antonio D'Amico. With all the critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience reception from the first two seasons, I'm going to trust that FX knows exactly what they are doing.

Clive Owen can currently be seen in theaters starring opposite Will Smith in director Ang Lee's GEMINI MAN. He'll also play author Scott Landon in the adaptation of Stephen King's Lisey's Story. Owen will play opposite his former CHILDREN OF MEN co-star Julianne Moore in the Apple TV+ miniseries.

So what do you guys think? Do you like Clive Owen for the role of Bill Clinton? If not who would you have chosen? Sound off in the comments below!