Hulu's 'Clipped' shines light on how Donald Sterling’s trail of scorned women and legal battles only got longer

Donald Sterling's 2003 legal battle with an ex-mistress shares striking similarities with V Stiviano's case
'Clipped' Episode 4 sheds light on Donald Sterling's affair with Alexandra Castro prior to meeting V Stiviano (YouTube/@abcnews, hulu/@tedsoqui, @gettyimages)
'Clipped' Episode 4 sheds light on Donald Sterling's affair with Alexandra Castro prior to meeting V Stiviano (YouTube/@abcnews, hulu/@tedsoqui, @gettyimages)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: If you have been closely following 'Clipped' on Hulu, you would know that V Stiviano wasn't Donald Sterling's first mistress to face a lawsuit from him and his wife, Shelly Sterling.

Despite being married to Shelly Sterling for decades, Donald Sterling is often involved with younger women, almost half his age.

His bizarre relationship with his assistant V Stiviano gets the spotlight in 'Clipped', while majorly focusing on Sterling's downfall and Stiviano's eventual fate after being slapped with a lawsuit.

However, it also briefly showcases how one of the previous mistresses of Sterling faced a similar fate as Stiviano.

Donald Sterling's relationship with Alexandra Castro ended with a legal battle

Hulu's 'Clipped' is based on Donald Sterling's 2014 scandal that got him banned from NBA for life (@hulu)
Ed O'Neill as Donald Sterling and Jacki Weaver as Shelly Sterling in 'Clipped' (@hulu)

In the late 90s, Sterling started an extra-marital affair with a young woman named Alexandra Castro. During their dating period, he made Castro sign a contract preventing her from claiming palimony, which typically divides assets between unmarried partners.

As per Slate, the contract emphasized that Sterling was happily married and had no intention of engaging in any activity inconsistent with his domestic relationship.

Their affair comes to the spotlight in 'Clipped' Episode 4 as Donald Sterling convinces his wife Shelly to sue Alexandra and reclaim the house that he gifted her.

Sterling contended that there had been an oral agreement to place the home under his family trust, allowing Castro to live there and renovate it for resale.

Castro, 30 at the time, countered with a cross-complaint, claiming Sterling had bought the house for her during their three-year affair out of "love and affection."

In her declaration, Castro claimed to have received a $4,500 monthly allowance from Sterling, according to a report by ABC News.

While the Sterlings labeled her a "con artist', "prostitute" and "gold digger", as shown in 'Clipped', the woman claimed that Sterling had promised to have a child with her which eventually led to their breakup as Sterling failed to follow through.

The 2003 lawsuit ended in a year with a confidential settlement.

Donald Sterling and V Stiviano's relationship met a similar fate

Donald Sterling and V Stiviano parted ways after the 2014 scandal (YouTube/@abcnews)
Donald Sterling and V Stiviano parted ways after the 2014 scandal (YouTube/@abcnews)

One cannot ignore the similarities between Alexandra Castro and V Stiviano's case. You could see a pattern of how Sterling would date young women and shower them with gifts and a luxury house where he could stay and spend time with them, away from Shelly.

And when things went downhill in the relationship, he slapped them with a lawsuit to reclaim the house he gifted among other things.

V Stiviano had to give up her mansion worth approximately $2 million along with the luxury cars she received as "gifts" from Sterling when they were dating, reported NPR.

How to stream 'Clipped'?

Ed O'Neill and Cleopatra Coleman in 'Clipped' (@hulu)
Ed O'Neill and Cleopatra Coleman in 'Clipped' (@hulu)

'Clipped' is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

The sports drama series made its debut on June 4, 2024, with two episodes, followed by Episode 3 and 4 releasing on June 11 and June 18.

'Clipped' Episode 5 will drop on June 25, followed by the finale episode on July 2.

'Clipped' trailer



 

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