Nathan Lane has a theory on the recently discovered knife on the former property of O.J. Simpson — it was put there by the executive producer of the FX series American Crime Story.
While appearing on The View on Tuesday, Lane, who plays attorney F. Lee Bailey in The People v. O. J. Simpson, joked Ryan Murphy was responsible for the knife currently undergoing tests to determine whether it was used in the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman.
“He’s a showman,” Lane kidded about Murphy. “He loves a publicity stunt.”
Joking aside, Lane said he was aware of the new knife situation, which coincides with a renewed interest in the case thanks to the FX series. The sixth episode will air Tuesday night.
“It’s a fascinating American story,” he said.
The actor reached out to Bailey after the series finished filming, he said. Bailey, who was “charming and gracious,” had only one concern about the show, said Lane.
“All he wanted to make sure of was that [Robert] Shapiro was not being favorably portrayed in the show,” Lane said to laughs. “I guess old grudges don’t die.” Indeed, Bailey and Shapiro have had some tense exchanges in the episodes that have already aired.
Ironically, Lane said he was filming a project with Courtney B. Vance, who plays Johnnie Cochran in the FX series, and Tony Goldwyn when the verdict was read in 1995.
“They were watching the verdict together, and when [the jury] announced the verdict, Courtney cheered and Tony Goldwyn said, ‘Oh, my God.’ And they they looked at each other like, ‘Wow, I guess we feel differently about this,'” said Lane. “And I believe I was at catering, heating up a Hot Pocket.”
