casting

Cobie Smulders Replaces Betty Gilpin As Ann Coulter in American Crime Story

Ann Coulter and Cobie Smulders. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos by Getty Images

Ann Coulter will now be played by Cobie Smulders in Impeachment: American Crime Story. The How I Met Your Mother and Marvel alum replaces Betty Gilpin in the role because of coronavirus-related scheduling conflicts, per Variety. That pesky ’rona, amirite? Gilpin told Jimmy Kimmel she spent a year “listening to Ann Coulter audiobooks†to perfect her impression of the conservative pundit, something we’ll just have to wait for her to go on SNL to see. The trailer for Ryan Murphy’s latest look at real American scandals gave the first glimpse of the new season, which follows Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial in the wake of his affair with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Based on former New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin’s book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, Clive Owen stars as Clinton alongside Edie Falco as Hillary Rodham Clinton, Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky, Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones, and Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp. Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander, Alexis Martin Woodall, Hannah Fidell, Sarah Paulson, and Sarah Burgess executive produce along with the real Lewinsky herself. American Crime Story has previously tackled the assassination of Gianni Versace (not to be confused with the hit Lady Gaga will put out in House of Gucci) and the O.J. Simpson trial. Impeachment premieres September 7 on FX.

Cobie Smulders to Play Ann Coulter in American Crime Story