Owen Wilson Turned Down $12 Million to Star in O.J. Simpson Conspiracy Movie

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Owen Wilson Turned Down $12 Million to Star in O.J. Simpson Conspiracy Movie

Owen Wilson turned down $12 million to star in a movie that seemingly suggests O.J. Simpson might have been innocent.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joshua Newton is directing a movie called The Juice that will see Charlotte Kirk play Nicole Brown Simpson.

Boris Kodjoe is playing Orenthal James “O. J.” Simpson in the film, which is described as a “satirical” comedy that largely focuses on Douglas McCann, an attorney who “got sucked into various conspiracy theories during Simpson’s 1995 criminal trial.”

Newton said that Wilson was offered the role of McCann; however, he turned it down after learning more details about the movie.

“Owen Wilson was perfect for the role,” Newton said. “I actually had a meeting with him in Santa Monica. Everybody loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million. But at the end of the lunch, Owen stood up and said, ‘If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how O.J. didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me.’”

Another actor has since been cast as McCann, though Newton didn’t reveal any names. “[Newton is] hoping to complete the movie by Oct. 3, the 29th anniversary of Simpson’s not-guilty verdict,” The Hollywood Reporter’s article reads.

What projects has Owen Wilson been in?

Wilson made his professional Hollywood acting debut in 1996 with Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket. He’s since appeared in a number of Anderson’s movies, including 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2007’s The Darjeeling Limited, 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, and 2021’s The French Dispatch.

He’s also known for starring in 1998’s Armageddon, 2001’s Zoolander, 2005’s Wedding Crashers, 2008’s Marley & Me, 2011’s Midnight in Paris, and 2023’s Haunted Mansion, among other roles. He also plays Mobius M. Mobius in Marvel’s Loki series.