Owen Wilson refuses $12m role in film depicting OJ Simpson innocent

Owen Wilson has reportedly declined an offer to star in The Juice, a film that portrays O.J. Simpson as innocent in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. 

The refusal came despite a substantial $12 million offer for the lead role. According to director Joshua Newton, the movie is a "satirical thriller" centering on attorney Douglas McCann, who represented Simpson in a civil case in 2000.

Newton explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he had a meeting with Wilson to discuss the role, which has since been filled by another actor. 

"Owen Wilson was perfect for the role," Newton said. "We met in Santa Monica, and everybody loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million."

However, Wilson had strong reservations about the film's premise. At the end of the meeting, Wilson reportedly 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."

Despite the lucrative offer, Wilson's response reflected his reluctance to be involved in a project that portrayed Simpson as innocent in the highly publicized murder case.

Despite his acquittal in the criminal case, a 1997 civil court jury found Simpson liable for "willfully and wrongfully" causing the deaths of Brown and Goldman, ordering him to pay $33.5 million in damages to their families.