[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson Episodes 1-4.]
Lifetime is pulling the curtain back on The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson in the two-night docuseries event, making way for some shocking revelations and a clearer picture of the tragic individual through first-account interviews and more.
Featuring commentary from Nicole Brown Simpson‘s sisters and closest friends, the four-episode docuseries reveals a new side of the O.J. Simpson murder trial that rocked the world in the mid-’90s. Below, we’re breaking down the most interesting tidbits from the series so far (we’ll update as the final two installments arrive on Lifetime beginning Sunday, June 2).
First Date Red Flag
In the premiere episode, Nicole’s former roommate Don LeBon recalls the evening she and O.J. Simpson had their first date. LeBon remembers seeing Nicole walk in with her jean zipper ripped apart, raising concern from him, but LeBon noted that Nicole brushed the situation off, claiming it was no big deal. This was the first hint at what would become a pattern of abusive interactions between the couple later on.
O.J’s Transformation
Lifetime
An interview with Veredata Jones, the sister of O.J.’s first wife Marguerite, revealed that the former couple’s relationship had started when they were in high school, but ultimately transformed as O.J. got famous. Veredata remembers her sister being upset by his change of character and suffered abuse at the hands of the former athlete as their marriage unraveled.
Phone Calls
O.J. would also supposedly call Nicole’s mother when they got into arguments, complaining about Nicole directly to her family. But as anyone in the Brown family showed concern, Nicole’s sisters claim she’d try to deflect from the situation.
Pressure During Pregnancy
Nicole’s sister Denise highlighted the fact that O.J. would make remarks about Nicole’s weight while she was pregnant, and another family friend, D’Anne Purcilly corroborated his strange behavior during her pregnancy as she noted O.J. didn’t want Nicole to have a natural childbirth nor breastfeed to maintain her body. It put Nicole in competition with herself to try and maintain the body he’d become accustomed to.
Drive-Bys
When Nicole suspected O.J. of cheating, Denise remembers helping her sister drive around to potential mistresses’ homes to uncover the mysteries O.J. might have been keeping from Nicole.
O.J.’s Homophobia
RelatedHow Nicole Brown Simpson’s Sisters Are Shedding New Light on Her Story With Lifetime
Family and friends also recalled an occassion during a family trip to Hawaii in 1988 where Nicole allowed a gay man to kiss her son Justin and O.J. got visibly angry and verbally abusive over it. When Nicole pointed out that O.J.’s father was gay, Denise says Nicole appeared the next day wearing a long-sleeve shirt, suggesting she’d paid for the remark with physical abuse.
Christmas Competition With Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner spoke about her fast friendship with Nicole as she revealed that they would compete when it came to decorating their homes for Christmas.
Money Hangup
When it came to O.J., Nicole only spoke badly of him when he refused to provide financially for his children, according to her friends and family.
Knives Out
D’Anne also brought up a conversation where Nicole expressed her fear of knives, and how O.J. had a collection of them. Ultimately, Nicole died after being slashed by a knife, which means her biggest fear became her reality.
Stay tuned for more interesting facts from the ongoing docuseries and let us know what information surprised you the most in the comments section, below.
Protecting the Kids
Dominique recalls telling Nicole’s kids Sydney and Justin about their mother’s murder and she says there was an agreement to not blame O.J. for her death as they couldn’t make that kind of call and protecting the children was most important. Dominique called it a promise to her sister to protect the kids.
Family Viewing
The Brown Family
There was a family viewing for Nicole’s loved ones, and Denise recalled hearing O.J. say, “I’m so sorry girl.” D’Anne remembers asking him if killed her, and although she never got a straight answer, she remembers him saying, “I loved her too much,” before asking about a ring that belonged to his former wife, which struck D’Anne as odd. Denise also remembers being asked by O.J.’s lawyer, Robert Shapiro, to exume Nicole’s body before it was buried, making it an all-around nightmarish day.
Graveside Rage
Dominique shares that people living around the cemetery called to complain that O.J. was yelling at Nicole’s grave. The behavior struck her and others as odd.
Sydney’s Fear
Denise recalls Sydney asking if her dad was in jail and if he was going to die. She reassured her niece that that wasn’t the case, but it’s a story she’s never shared until now.
A Witness’s Regret
Jill Shively, the woman who witnessed O.J.’s Bronco driving erratically, potentially away from the crime scene, remembers being scolded by Marcia Clark after she gave an interview for money, essentially blowing her credibility as a witness. At the time, Jill needed the money and didn’t think it would have repercussions, but now she regrets not being able to testify.
House Calls in Florida
Denise was made aware during the documentary about various police calls and an FBI raid at O.J.’s house in Florida after he moved there with his kids in 2000. The case for the raid suggested that O.J. was an MDMA user, but the search only came up with marijuana residue.
The Next Generation
During an emotional moment, D’Anne recalls losing touch with Nicole’s daughter Sydney a few years after the family’s move to Florida. When one of the documentarians informed D’Anne that Sydney has a son now and Justin has a daughter, she got tearful and added that she knows Nicole would have been an amazing grandmother.
The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, Returns Sunday, June 2, 8/7c, Lifetime
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