The season finale of “American Sports Story” laid naked the tragic finish for Aaron Hernandez, that after promising NFL participant. Closing out the 10-episode season, the FX restricted sequence dramatized the ultimate days in jail of a younger man haunted by ghosts and riddled with guilt, who noticed dying as the one doable launch from his internal demons (and his pending authorized woes relating to numerous homicide indictments).
The episode, titled “Who Killed Aaron Hernandez?,” shies away from easy solutions to that query. As an alternative, it stresses how internalized homophobia, poisonous masculinity, an emotionally stunted father determine, an NFL group desperate to coddle its gamers — to not point out the results of power traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), courtesy of a lifetime on the sector — all performed key roles within the violence that doomed Hernandez’s life and profession.
And entrance and middle, within the present, was Josh Rivera. The actor, who beforehand starred in “West Side Story” and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” skillfully anchored his portrayal of Hernandez within the many contradictions that troubled the Connecticut-born participant by means of his temporary life (he died at simply 27 years previous). In his arms, Hernandez could possibly be each the irascible macho man who fired pictures in chilly blood at strangers and mates alike, in addition to the doe-eyed, wounded boy who simply wished to be cherished by his dad and located consolation within the arms of different males (away from the eyes of his fiancee).
Rivera talked to The Occasions concerning the finale, the work that went into creating an advanced portrait of a determine many have judged primarily based on the headlines that adopted his imprisonment and dying, and why he’s slowly studying to bask within the reward that’s been heaped on him for this breakout efficiency. This dialog has been edited for readability and size.
Josh Rivera as Aaron Hernandez within the finale of “American Sports Story.”
(FX)
How has it felt seeing the present now come to an finish?
It’s simply been a extremely fascinating expertise. There’s simply a whole lot of first instances which might be taking place for me proper now. As a result of I’ve additionally by no means performed a complete sequence, which is a complete totally different muscle in itself. It’s been actually relieving for it to simply be out. I imply, it’s out of my arms. There’s nothing I can do. And no matter folks need to really feel, they will really feel.
After which, on the whole, career-wise, I’ve this factor that’s in all probability not unusual for actors to have, however each job that I do, I end it and I’m like, “All right, it was nice while it lasted,” you understand? “I guess that’s the end of the road.”
I’ve this unease perpetually about that. And now one thing I’m discovering actually thrilling is the quantity of conversations I’m having about creating stuff and being extra concerned within the artistic elements of issues. This present was the primary time I’ve ever felt like I bought to take any sense of possession over the general product. I wasn’t a producer in it or something, however I had an open line of communication with all people who was creating it, which was the primary time that’s ever occurred for me.
That is fairly an formidable miniseries telling a relatively advanced story a few very public determine — everywhere in the course of 10 episodes. As an actor, how did you method realizing you’d be portraying Aaron from his highschool years, then his soccer profession and right through to his dying?
I used to be nervous about that originally, however it ended up being monumentally useful since you get to tell apart the elements that come collectively ultimately a bit of bit extra by depicting them chronologically. As a result of whenever you have a look at the tip product, and whenever you have a look at all of the press surrounding this determine, there’s simply so many parts that go into it.
You discuss sexuality. You discuss CTE. You discuss getting cash actually, actually early. Getting fame, actually, actually early. You speak concerning the relationship along with his dad. So after I was approaching the story, I used to be similar to, I don’t know what to do. How do you make a characterization that’s in any respect particular when you’ve this many vary of things?
What was very nice about constructing this narrative was that we bought to put it brick by brick. Then over time, we get to the season finale, the place all of these items are pulling at one another. It makes it loads simpler to belief the muse that we’ve already constructed.
However I received’t lie, to start with, it was extraordinarily intimidating. I didn’t actually understand how I used to be going to do it.
Jose Baez (Jose Pablo Cantillo), left, George Leontire (Gregory Porter Miller) and Aaron Hernandez (Josh Rivera) in “American Sports Story.” Leontire, an out homosexual man, was one of many attorneys who represented Hernandez.
(FX)
The one second that almost all struck me, particularly as a homosexual man watching, was the temporary scene when he realizes considered one of his attorneys is homosexual and Aaron flat-out asks him who’d molested him as a toddler. It’s such a revealing second for the way Aaron understood his sexuality. How was it like teasing out that scene?
That scene makes me so unhappy. I don’t bear in mind the context wherein his lawyer instructed that story, however that’s an actual story that his lawyer instructed and he expressed feeling a whole lot of sympathy in that second towards Aaron. Since you don’t know the diploma to which Aaron’s been holding that to himself his total life, and also you don’t know what number of issues, what number of assumptions, or what number of decisions have been constructed on that assumption to himself. I simply thought it was very well written and it’s essential. Nevertheless it’s tough.
Particularly as a result of I feel one of many issues the present stresses all through is how free and free Aaron may really feel when he allowed himself to be open and tender with different males, like with Chris (Jake Cannavale). However he so hardly ever permits himself that.
And there may be in a whole lot of totally different moments within the present, too, straight coming after these very actual, tender moments, the sensation of failure. He looks like he has failed himself and others. To have that shut, direct affiliation — I imply, gosh, that may be actually largely informative on the alternatives that you just make. I’m glad that that learn, as a result of that was one thing that I do know was essential to [writer and creator] Stu [Zicherman], to emphasise that authenticity in these moments, and feeling like there was an actual a part of himself that he could possibly be in these moments. It’s very unhappy to see that related to failure. I’m saying this, clearly, from the attitude of the narrative that we’re telling.
The Hernandez household, from left: Aaron’s fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins (Jaylen Barron), his mom, Terri Hernandez (Tammy Blanchard), and older brother D.J. Hernandez (Ean Castellanos).
(FX)
And a sense of failure so tied to his father, who seems on this episode as a type of hallucinatory imaginative and prescient in jail, which can also be fairly an affecting second.
Once I was studying the draft for the ultimate episode, I bought actually excited after I noticed that scene. As a result of I used to be like, “This is it. This is the big monologue.” Aaron could be very quick on phrases for mainly all the sequence, so it was thrilling to have the ability to speak at size in a scene. I used to be like, what a phenomenal second to simply lay the whole lot out. I feel it’s such bookend for his character as a result of with out it, the entire thing is simply very, very darkish. Narratively, I feel, simply as a client, you need one thing that’s simply even a bit of bit like a interval. There’s some acknowledgment of the complexity of his life that’s there earlier than he strikes on.
You loved that form of fantasy method to that scene?
I believed that that was actually essential, and I believed it was superbly written, as a result of I did a whole lot of analysis about CTE and one thing that was actually troublesome about that was the way it can solely be identified after dying. I wished to take a look at movies of individuals interacting with different folks whereas having CTE, however that’s very laborious as a result of you’ve lots of people who assume they’ve it, or individuals who suspect that they could have it, and so they appear to be very regular folks.
However then the tough factor is that when you find yourself put below pressure or battle, stuff begins to floor. What that stated to me is how terrifying it have to be to really feel this perpetual sense of unease and don’t know why. As a result of, once more, it will probably’t get identified. It doesn’t get uncovered in an MRI. You simply really feel bizarre. And your choice making is simply so wild. So the concept to get some sense of full readability, whether or not or not it’d be in a dream sequence, and know the way it feels to have a neurotypical mind for even a pair moments earlier than you go, I discovered the idea of that basically fascinating. I’m glad we had been in a position to put that in.
Josh Rivera on whether or not it was laborious letting Aaron go: “Maybe there were certain parts of it that I needed to shake off a little bit. But largely, I try really hard to keep work at work.”
(Ben Cope)
It does make for a pleasant second of closure. What was that for you? What was the final scene you shot as Aaron?
I bear in mind the very last thing I shot was truly laying on the bottom, lifeless. That was in all probability on objective. I imply, this would possibly sound chilly, however it was type of good. I simply pretended to be lifeless. It was fairly simple. However earlier than we shot that, it was just about again to again to again, like unhappy and darkish and tragic. It actually was a really, very intense dash to the end, and never one thing that I’ve needed to do earlier than.
Was it laborious, then, letting Aaron go?
I don’t know. I wish to say no as a result of I don’t actually subscribe to the concept that it’s a must to take issues house with you. I attempted actually laborious in between takes to simply be jovial and make jokes and stuff like that. From time to time, I might get pressured. Nevertheless it by no means felt like Aaron remains to be with me. I don’t actually imagine in that. I feel folks have a whole lot of issues to say about technique actors however that’s not one thing that I do.
However I didn’t communicate to anyone for like a month and a half after. So there’s that, too. Perhaps there have been sure elements of it that I wanted to shake off a bit of bit. However largely, I strive actually laborious to maintain work at work.
On that notice, is there one thing you’re taking away from this undertaking, both personally or professionally?
Properly, I didn’t assume I may do one thing like this. I really feel extra succesful than I did earlier than I did this undertaking, which is a cool feeling. However I’m discovering out a whole lot of stuff about my response to each reward and criticism, which has been fascinating. I get so uncomfortable with reward. It’s actually bizarre. I don’t know. I used to be with a pal of mine, and we’ve identified one another for some time, and she or he was telling me how good one of many episodes had been. And I used to be like, “I need you to bookend that with an insult” — I don’t know. It’s a humorous little factor of mine that I’m discovering.
A whole lot of it needed to do with watching the present once more and being like, I may do higher. I might do that in another way. It’s a irritating feeling. Nevertheless it’s additionally type of good. I like feeling that I’ve a whole lot of room to develop. I nonetheless very a lot really feel like a newcomer. And it’s a cool feeling to be like, “Oh, this is a good place to start.” It will get me actually excited for different stuff that I’d do sooner or later.
Which begs the query: What’s subsequent?
I’m engaged on one thing that’s very, very early in growth proper now. Hopefully we’re going to get to writing on the high of subsequent 12 months. I’ve additionally simply been very impressed to jot down. I bought along with a pal of mine, and we’re engaged on a pilot for a comedy sequence. It’s simply very thrilling, as a result of I’ve at all times wished to jot down. I bought actually hooked on this sense of possession over my creativity whereas I used to be doing this undertaking. So yeah, there’s a pair issues. Hopefully I is usually a little bit extra particular quickly, however I’m actually enthusiastic about all of it.
That does sound very thrilling. And a pleasant change of tempo, particularly with a comedy.
Sure, really. I’m not at all times crying and dying, I promise.
