Cuba Gooding Jr says he feels he has played his new character before in Jerry Maguire “to some degree”, as he spoke about his small screen role as the title character in The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.

The American football player-turned movie star was found not guilty of murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1995.

The car chase that led to Simpson’s arrest and the subsequent trial were televised live and were media sensations.

Speaking on the red carpet at the world premiere of the series, Cuba said: “I remember watching the Knicks game and then turning it to the chase and putting the game on the radio and listening to it, but watching the chase so we didn’t miss anything crazy.”

O.J. Simpson clenches his fists in victory after the jury said he was not guilty.
The murder trial was a media sensation (Myung Chun/AP)

Ronald’s father later successfully sued OJ for the wrongful death of his son.

Cuba added: “I played this character to some degree before in Jerry Maguire, I studied these flamboyant marquee athletes and I believe that there is something about their personalities when they are young and show that special skill that they get shielding from social interaction so when their career is over they still have that infantile frame of mind so that motivated a lot of my performance.”

Cuba Gooding Jr
John Travolta attended the premiere with his wife Kelly Preston (Richard Shotwell/AP)

John Travolta takes on the role of Simpson’s defence lawyer Robert Shapiro and said the wider themes of the case were still fascinating today.

“It’s probably the most prominent celebrity crime story that ever happened. It was part of our American history with our favourite sport,” he said.

“To widen that perspective you are dealing with the subjects of the legal and judicial systems and the broken aspects of that, you are dealing with racism and classism and fame and what fame does to individuals whether you are a football player or a lawyer or judge.”

Zoe Beckman, left, and David Schwimmer attend the LA Premiere of "'American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson" held at Westwood Village Theatre
David Schwimmer walked the red carpet with his wife Zoe Beckman (Richard Shotwell/AP)

Friends star David Schwimmer plays Robert Kardashian, the father of reality stars Kim, Kourtney and Khloe, and another member of Simpson’s defence team.

He said the elements in the case created a perfect storm, adding: “There were so many factors that went into this tragic story, it’s almost at the level of a Greek myth, of this incredible icon and his fall from grace.

“More than that it was about sex and race and politics and celebrity, unfortunately or not it had everything that we are morbidly fascinated by.”

The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story starts on BBC2 in February.