Cuba Gooding Jr.: Playing O.J. Simpson can be dark

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. finds playing O.J. Simpson “really dark” at times.

The 47-year-old takes on the role of the retired American football player in American Crime Story. The FX series focuses on the star's murder trial in 1995 where he was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and waiter Ronald Lyle Goldman.

The 68-year-old was acquitted of the crimes after an eight month trial which caused a media frenzy and Cuba had moments where he struggled with the subject matter.

“Some days it’s dark, really dark,” he confessed to Variety.

The star has a wealth of material to watch to get into the ex-sportsman’s psyche. In fact, new sources appear in his trailer every day.

“It’s a minutia of watching tapes and reading interviews and watching video,” he said. “Usually, when you prepare for a role, you can spend weeks or months and then when you do it, you’re pretty much in it. But this is like, everyday, they’re like, ‘Oh, [he] did a workout video.’ … Everyday there’s something.”

The level of detail required is no surprise to Cuba considering Glee and Scream Queens co-creator Ryan Murphy is at the helm.

“It’s a character, you have to be the character and be confident,” he continued. “But yeah, reflecting on it, I will be hoping that the intent of what Ryan Murphy wanted to create in the story comes through. And I think it will, because no one pays attention to detail like this guy.”

An all-star cast joins Cuba in the show including John Travolta, Selma Blair and David Schwimmer.

“It’s like playing basketball with the Lakers,” he smiled. “You got to have your best game because everyone around you is better than you. … On this set, if you don’t come with your A+ game, you’re going to get blown over. You really will.”