The director of a new film about the sensational O.J. Simpson case says it will reveal who really killed the star's ex-wife and prove that he was the victim of a conspiracy to convict him of the crime. Nicole & O.J.'s British writer-director Joshua Newton spent 18 months trawling through court documents, witness interviews and testimonies to piece together what really happened in 1994 when Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were found dead at her Los Angeles home. Newton said: 'Nicole & O.J. will reveal the untold circumstances leading up to the murders and why and how Nicole and Ron were killed and the cover-up that followed.'Newton said that his film is all backed up by evidence and also goes into detail about O.J.'s relationship with Nicole as well as shedding new light on the investigation that helped acquit him of the murders. He was subsequently found liable in a civil lawsuit and ordered to pay the victims' families damages of $33million for 'wrongful death', an amount which to this day remains almost entirely unpaid.
The case continues to divide opinion and remains a hot topic of conversation. O.J.'s high profile trial was the most viewed judicial proceeding in the history of American television and the film is due to be released next year to mark the 25th anniversary of its end. Newton said: 'All these years later, the world is still fascinated by the O.J. case and it still divides America, particularly along racial lines.'The film shows that Nicole and Goldman's murder was not premeditated while also illustrating how public hatred was whipped up against O.J.'The media was assisted by prosecutors drawing on unethical means to persuade the public of his guilt because they knew their evidence would fail to persuade the jury,' said Newton. Newton says the real narrative throughout the trial is somewhat different from what was told to the press by the prosecutors. 'It's very worrying' he added. 'O.J. was fortunate that he could afford a brilliant defence team to challenge a prosecutorial system more concerned with winning than with justice. But what about countless defendants who are innocent and don't have any money? Justice for them isn't an acquittal, it's a life sentence or even death.'Newton added that while his film is all backed up by comprehensive evidence, he decided to take a satirical approach to convey the story. 'The stuff I came across is at times nothing short of farcical, how else could I treat this?' A large part of the film was shot in Bulgaria where Newton and his team recreated in exact detail O.J.'s and Nicole's Los Angeles homes. They also bought for £50,000 the same model of Ferrari she drove to give the film greater authenticity.
Newton said: 'We have gone into an incredible amount of detail to capture the life O.J. and Nicole led and their marriage. This makes the film more fascinating to watch. At their peak, they were America's number one celebrity couple and we wanted to take viewers into their world.'The film stars emerging British actress Charlotte Kirk, who plays Nicole, and German actor Boris Kodjoe as O.J., who both bear an uncanny resemblance to the real-life couple. Newton revealed that in addition to their acting abilities, this was also one of the main reasons why he chose them. He said: 'Both of them delivered an engaging performance and you couldn't ask for a more effective portrayal of O.J. and Nicole; not just in terms of how they look but also how they sound and behave.'When news of the film first emerged, O.J. actually contacted Newton asking to be involved as a creative consultant, an offer which was declined. Newton said: 'My interest in making the film is to present an unbiased perspective. 'I'm not American so I've looked at it through different eyes. I'm laying out all the facts and it's up to the audience to reach its own conclusions.'The former American sports star turned actor was released on parole in 2017 after serving nine years for armed robbery over a 2007 confrontation at a Las Vegas hotel. Kirk is expected to meet O.J. for dinner in the near future to discuss the film and the impact it could have on how he is viewed by the American public. Newton said that he did not want to give too much away about the film's new findings but pointed to one allegation made in court, which it challenges. The prosecution claimed that when O.J. was informed about Nicole's death he showed no emotion and did not ask how she died, suggesting that this was an indication of his guilt. Based on documents uncovered by Newton, the film will show an altogether different response. He said: 'The reality is that O.J. exploded into a rage because of his grief repeatedly asking 'what do you mean Nicole is dead?' while the detective on the phone kept telling him he has no information. This is just one example of many where the prosecution attempted to deceive the jury, the press and the public. Thankfully the jury saw right through it and that's why O.J. was acquitted'.