‘American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez’: How violence, drugs and football made a monster

As a seasoned journalist and documentary filmmaker, I have always admired the meticulous work of investigative teams like The Boston Globe’s Spotlight team. Their dedication to uncovering the truth is truly inspiring. However, when it comes to creating a series that delves deeper into the human psyche and emotional motivations, fiction has its place.

In 2009, star tight end Aaron Hernandez contributed significantly to the University of Florida’s national championship victory. Later in 2012, he represented the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl and secured an extended contract worth $40 million.

However, during that same year, he became under investigation for a double homicide case. A year following this incident, he fatally shot Alexander Bradley, one of his closest friends, and another man named Odin Lloyd. Subsequently, two years later, Hernandez was found guilty of murdering Odin Lloyd, and in the year 2017, Hernandez took his own life while serving time in prison.

Those are the headlines of Hernandez’s brief and violent life and death, the details that reach beyond the die-hard football fan and create a hard-to-shake image in popular culture. While Hernandez clearly had drug problems, committed violent crimes and grew increasingly paranoid, his fuller story is a complicated one: Hernandez suffered physical abuse in a violent and dysfunctional family; was sexually abused as a boy; felt compelled by society’s strictures to hide his homosexuality; was chewed up and spit out by college football’s powers-that-be; and his brain was severely damaged, resulting in chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, that likely affected his behavior.

Back in 2018, the Boston Globe’s Spotlight investigative unit delved deep into various aspects, revealing them in a collection of news articles and a podcast. Subsequently, a Netflix documentary titled “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” was released in 2020, continuing this exploration.

In 2009, while playing for Florida, Aaron Hernandez. (Dave Martin / Associated Press)

But these days, more Americans get their facts from scripted series than from newspaper series, podcasts and documentaries, whether it’s “When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay’s Netflix limited series about the Central Park Five or the “American Crime Story” retellings of the O.J. Simpson saga and the murder of Gianni Versace. Now the “American Crime Story” producing team is branching out with “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez,” a 10-episode retelling of Hernandez’s life and death based on the Globe’s reporting. The limited series premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m. on FX with two episodes and streams the following day on Hulu.

Brad Simpson, a key producer for the show, was informed by senior executives at FX, Nick Grad and John Landgraf, that some podcasts were going to be made public. Consequently, he decided to go through the articles published in The Boston Globe.

He mentions that there was a detailed, captivating style of storytelling that we appreciate in our programs, and we began creating the series with the intention of incorporating this style within our various series focusing on American culture, he explains.

According to Simpson, fellow executive producer Ryan Murphy appreciated the fact that the story revolved around a character with a fragmented identity, much like many of their series often do.

According to Nina Jacobson, another executive producer, the report presented a tale that was “much more emotionally poignant and intricate than I initially thought.” She added, “When you believe you understand a story, but then you encounter thoroughly researched details, it significantly alters your perspective. This always captures my full attention.

She also points out that because football is deeply ingrained in our national identity, Hernandez’s journey from success to failure isn’t merely about one individual; instead, it serves as a reflection of ourselves as a nation.

Many authors expressed an interest in crafting the story, yet the producers opted for Stuart Zicherman due to his impressive background – specifically mentioned is his work on “The Americans” – and because he is a fervent football enthusiast who can still maintain an objective perspective on how the sport can negatively impact individuals. Simpson notes that Zicherman presented a captivating idea about the complex interplay of fame, sports, sexuality, and masculinity.

He emphasizes that it’s not just about football but also the personality of Aaron, his family, teammates, and coaches that make this story unique among countless sports narratives. He likens it to a Shakespearean drama, with captivating characters taking center stage.

Zicherman claims he presented his first pitch with an enormous scroll, which, when spread open, revealed the entire plot’s unexpected twists and turns. “I enjoy crafting stories that people believe they are familiar with, but in reality, they aren’t,” he states. “We often categorize individuals, and Hernandez was portrayed as a monster, but no one is born a monster, and I wanted to narrate that story without excusing his actions.

Zicherman utilized the “American Crime Story” approach, where he expanded a specific crime or incident to reveal its broader implications within American society.

The program delves into the harmful aspects of traditional masculinity within households and sports arenas like locker rooms, highlighting how aggression displayed on the football field may extend to everyday situations, and it also portrays how a troubled household can provide solace as well as restrictive confines.

Another point to consider is the problem of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a condition resulting from multiple head traumas. It’s important to clarify that we’re not suggesting CTE was solely responsible for Aaron becoming a murderer, as he had a history of exposure to violence and displayed violent tendencies. However, it’s worth noting that his behavior became increasingly paranoid and aggressive, potentially worsened by his substance use, which could have further damaged his brain.

He clearly presents the account of events to expose those people and organizations that caused harm to Hernandez or at least refused to alter the perception due to their self-serving intentions, such as the former Florida coach Urban Meyer. This individual enticed Hernandez and his family with unfulfilled promises and then discarded him when he became difficult to manage.

According to Zicherman, we often treat athletes like products without fully considering their wellbeing. The Patriots, too, were swayed by his talent rather than his overall best interests.

To emphasize the broader perspective, I’d like to underline that there’s a larger context at play here. We, as a community, have a tendency to elevate our athletes to great heights, showering them with wealth and adoration, labeling them as heroes. However, when things don’t go as planned, we often turn against them instead of offering understanding and support.

Instead of just focusing on the overall narrative, Zicherman delved into Hernandez’s personal journey, portraying him as a person striving to discover his true identity. This thread followed Hernandez from his childhood, through high school, college in Florida, his career in the NFL, and ultimately, his descent into a world of drugs and criminal activities that eventually drove him insane due to the weight of all the secrets he carried.

According to Zicherman, not only did the Spotlight team at The Globe deliver an exhaustive and detailed account, but they also offered him the opportunity to ask countless questions in Boston. Remarkably, they even visited the writers’ room to address additional queries. As he puts it, “They had spoken to everyone involved, they had done their homework, and they were an invaluable resource.

As a passionate admirer, I acknowledge that journalists and documentarians like myself are often limited by what we can substantiate. However, Zicherman emphasizes that this series refuses to be overly fictionalized. Yet, we found ourselves compelled to delve deeper than the Spotlight series did.

In the writers’ room, we invested significant effort into understanding the underlying reasons for events and evoking emotional responses by providing explanations to various occurrences, as he explains.

What Zicherman found most intriguing was the lack of understanding as to why Hernandez killed Lloyd, since no one seemed to know in all the investigations. It appeared to be an awkward, seemingly impulsive act that didn’t fit with any rational explanation.

Some theories suggest that Hernandez aimed to hide his sexual orientation and connection to the double murder; however, Zicherman believes it was more about the depth of Hernandez’s downfall.

According to Zicherman, “I believe the murder stemmed from the cauldron of events that took place during the entire season.” He suggests that Hernandez is harboring numerous secrets and using drugs, which has made him increasingly paranoid due to multiple head injuries. It’s this complex mix of factors, he believes, that led to the murder, rather than a single incident.

As a film enthusiast, for me, nothing surpasses the significance of securing Hernandez in our cast. In this instance, fortune truly favored us. During the production of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” Jacobson had the opportunity to observe Josh Rivera at work. “I got a glimpse of his true potential,” she says, reflecting on Rivera’s past role as Chino in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” “He displayed an extraordinary level of sophistication, stability, naturalness, and charm. And he carried this essence flawlessly with every take.

However, even though Jacobson was already sold, she also relied on Murphy’s opinion and decided to let the audition proceed so she could determine whether Murphy would rise to the top in Ryan’s eyes too.

As the final round of callbacks came to a close, following the intricate process of swapping and selecting performers vying for diverse roles, I found myself nodding in agreement as Murphy declared, “Clearly, it’s Josh.” Before he even had the chance to step out of the audition room, they summoned him back, ensuring that his talent didn’t slip away.

Zicherman explains that while many other actors focused on portraying violence and gloom, Rivera highlighted the vulnerability, emotional aspects, and inner emotions. After casting him, I began reducing dialogue to allow for moments to be expressed through his facial expressions – allowing us to witness his heartache as other characters could continue their dialogues.

Rivera, it appears, is not only a scholar but also someone who enjoys singing, dancing, and cracking jokes. On the other hand, Hernandez, prior to any difficulties, was known for his humorous antics in class.

In almost every scene, Rivera can be seen. Simpson mentions that he had to maintain his muscular physique and spend extended periods under makeup for the tattoos. “He handled it remarkably well and was always willing,” Simpson adds. “He was frequently tired, but avoiding a negative state speaks volumes about Josh’s character. He established the mood on set.

On one particular day, Rivera appeared visibly distressed due to the heavy task at hand. As Simpson puts it, “We found ourselves in a muddy field at 3 a.m., reenacting the murder of Odin Lloyd. At one point, Josh halted and looked at everyone, expressing, ‘This is simply too heart-wrenchingly sad.’ I believe we all felt that moment deeply.

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2024-09-17 13:33