Ryan Murphy‘s world of American Story expands by introducing a new series. American Sports Story is a new take on American stories that focuses on the uber-popular sports played in the country.
No sport in the United States comes close to being as popular as football. However, it has also seen its fair share of controversy.
One of the biggest controversies was the story of the former Patriots tight end, Aaron Hernandez, who found himself on the hook for multiple homicides and later died by suicide.
This series, titled American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, tells the layered story of the player who loved the game but could not escape his mind and circumstances.
One of his biggest struggles was his same-sex attraction. It didn’t seem to marry with the toxic macho world that expected him to be “tough.” His queerness was a liability that contributed to his tragic end.
The first season of American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is based on the Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. podcast.
The series charts Hernandez’s rise and fall, exploring his struggles and triumphs until his untimely death at 27 in 2017.
‘American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez’ Cast
The show’s cast features an ensemble reflecting Hernadez’s world.
Josh Andre Rivera plays Hernandez. Since Hernandez was big and muscular, Rivera had to bulk up to look the part. He also researched the man behind the character and discovered someone multifaceted and emotionally conflicted.
“They’re trying to get me as big as I can be. NFL shape is a pretty tall order. They’re real big guys,” he told Deadline.
Jake Cannavale plays Hernandez’s love interest. Hernandez hid his queerness due to the environment he grew up in.
He even had a fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, who is played by Jaylen Barron.
Other cast members include Tammy Blanchard as Hernandez’s mother; Patrick Schwarzenegger (Gen V) as Tim Tebow, Hernandez’s friend; Tony Yazbeck, Thomas Sadoski; and Norbert Leo Butz as legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
‘American Sports Story’ Season 1 Trailer
The trailer tees up the complex life of Aaron Hernandez.
From humble beginnings in a gang-infested neighborhood to his rise in the football world, it teases an unkiley story with a tragic ending.
The trailer paints a picture of an emotionally volatile man who never fit into where he was born.
He was living his dream in one world, but in the other, he was trying to keep up appearances. He had to “act tough” and hide his same-sex relationships from everyone.
His desire for sex, drugs, and the game leads him down a dangerous path that ends with three homicides, which he is arrested for.
American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez premieres on September 17 on FX and streams on Hulu.