American Crime Story’s next season to revolve around Monica Lewinsky scandal

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

After The People v. O.J. Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace, FX has announced that the next season of American Crime Story is set to tell the story of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The announcement was made today at the Television Critics Associations summer press-tour, and FX also revealed that several major roles have already been cast. Beanie Feldstein (BOOKSMART) is slated to play Monica Lewinsky, with Annaleigh Ashford (Masters of Sex) playing Paula Jones and Sarah Paulson (GLASS) playing Linda Tripp. The season will be written by Sarah Burgess and will be based upon Jeffrey Toobin’s book "A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President." The real-life Monica Lewinsky will also be serving as a producer on the project. In a statement, John Landgraf, chairman of FX Networks and FX Productions, said:

FX’s ‘American Crime Story’ franchise has become a cultural touchstone, providing greater context for stories that deserve greater understanding like the O.J. Simpson trial and saga, and Andrew Cunanan’s tragic crime spree which concluded with the assassination of Gianni Versace. This franchise re-examines some of the most complicated, polarizing stories in recent history in a way that is relevant, nuanced and entertaining. ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’ will likewise explore the overlooked dimensions of the women who found themselves caught up in the scandal and political war that cast a long shadow over the Clinton Presidency. We are grateful to Sarah Burgess for her brilliant adaptation, as well as Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander, Alexis Martin Woodall, Sarah Paulson and the rest of the creative team and cast.

According to FX, Impeachment: American Crime Story will focus on the various perspectives of the three female leads as it "unravels the national scandal that swept up Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and Linda Tripp as principal characters in the country’s first impeachment proceedings in over a century." Production on the series is slated to kick off in February for a September 27, 2020 premiere, not too long before the next Presidential election.