Connie Britton Joins FX's 'American Crime Story: People v. O.J. Simpson'

Connie Britton is returning to FX and the Ryan Murphy fold.

Four years after starring in the freshman season of American Horror Story, the Nashville star has joined the cast of FX upcoming anthology American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, Murphy announced Monday.

"Excited to announce my friend Connie Britton will play Faye Resnick in the upcoming FX miniseries The People v. O.J. Simpson," Murphy tweeted.

American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson — the first season of the upcoming anthology from Murphy and Brad Falchuk — is based on Jeffrey Toobin's best-selling book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson.

The 10-episode first season examines the O.J. Simpson trial as told from the perspective of the lawyers and is poised to explore the chaotic behind-the-scenes dealings and maneuverings on both sides of the court. More significantly, it will display how a combination of prosecution confidence, defense wiliness and the Los Angeles police's history with the city's African-American community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt.

Read more Ryan Murphy's 'American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson' Ordered at FX

Britton will play Resnick, a Los Angeles socialite and friend of Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown.

The casting brings Britton back into the Murphy fold following her starring turn in American Horror Story: Murder House, the freshman season of the FX anthology series. It also comes as ABC's Nashville is in its third season and remains on the bubble for a fourth run.

Friday Night Lights alum Britton is repped by WME, Untitled Entertainment and attorney Adam Kaller.

Written by Golden Globe winners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (The People vs. Larry Flynt), the duo, along with original producers Bradford Simpson (World War Z) and Nina Jacobson (The Hunger Games), moved with the former Fox project to FX, where they will pen the first two episodes, among others. They will be joined by Murphy and his AHS co-creator, Falchuk, as well as Ryan Murphy Productions' Dante Di Loreto as executive producers, with Murphy also set to direct. Production is expected to begin soon in Los Angeles.

Britton joins a cast that also includes Cuba Gooding Jr. as Simpson, American Horror Story favorite Sarah Paulson as prosecutor Marcia Clark; Friends alum David Schwimmer as Simpson's friend and attorney Robert Kardashian and John Travolta as Robert Shapiro as well as Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com

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