Yahoo Lifestyle “American Sports Story:” All About the Ryan Murphy Show About Aaron Hernandez
Ryan Murphy's latest anthology series 'American Sports Story' will follow the 'rise and fall' of football player Aaron Hernandez
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The Ryan Murphy-verse is expanding with FX’s American Sports Story.
Following the success of anthology series such as American Horror Story and American Crime Story, the new series will focus “on a prominent event and/or figure in the sports world, but seen through today’s lens and told through multiple perspectives,” per Variety.
The series was originally announced in August 2021 with various cast members announced in November 2023 following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc from the Boston Globe and Wondery, the first season will follow the “rise and fall” of Hernandez, a former tight end for the New England Patriots who was convicted of murder and later died by suicide in prison in 2017 at the age of 27.
From the cast to when filming is expected to begin, here’s everything to know about American Sports Story season 1.
Who is in the American Sports Story cast?
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star Josh Andrés Rivera is set to play the NFL athlete after blowing producers away with his audition.
“He stole the part,” producer Nina Jacobson told IndieWire. “He is a grounded, likable, natural, and compelling presence, super-prepared. I was thrilled once they brought in a bunch of people, and let Josh rise to the top, which I knew he would. And we had him all tatted out. He was trained to be huge and muscular; he loved lifting weights,” she said of the West Side Story actor.
The cast also includes Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow (who played football with Hernandez at the University of Florida) and Lindsay Mendez as Tanya Singleton (Hernandez’s cousin).
Rounding out the cast are Jaylen Barron (Shayanna Jenkins), Ean Castellanos (DJ Hernandez), Tammy Blanchard (Terri Hernandez), Tony Yazbeck (Urban Meyer), Thomas Sadoski (Brian Murphy), Jake Cannavale (“Chris”) and Norbert Leo Butz (Bill Belichick).
Who is writing American Sports Story?
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The new series will be developed by Stuart Zicherman (The Americans), who will also serve as an executive producer.
Who is producing American Sports Story?
The series includes a long list of executive producers, including Murphy, Zicherman, Brad Falchuk, Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall and Wondery’s Hernan Lopez and Marshall Lewy and the Boston Globe’s Linda Pizzuti Henry and Ira Napoliello, per The Hollywood Reporter.
When did American Sports Story film?
In January 2023, FX boss John Landgraf revealed that the series was “heading toward production” as they had “a fairly complete set of scripts.” Filming reportedly kicked off later that year in New Jersey, but was eventually suspended amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Filming reportedly resumed in December 2023 and continued into March 2024 in Florida.
How many episodes will American Sports Story have?
The series will consist of 10 episodes, per Deadline. The first two episodes will debut during the premiere, followed by a weekly release.
Is there a trailer for American Sports Story?
In August, FX released the official trailer for the new series which documents Hernandez's rise and fall as a football player.
When will American Sports Story be released?
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In June 2024, Rivera announced the official release date for the show as he shared the first poster, which shows his tattooed back as he puts two fists behind his neck. "It’s official! Tune in September 17th," he wrote in the caption.
The two-episode premiere will be on FX at 10 p.m. ET.
How to watch American Sports Story?
While episodes will debut weekly on FX, they will be available to stream the next day on Hulu. For those tuning in internationally, the show will stream on Disney+.
Will there be a second season of American Sports Story?
Though it’s unclear if FX will order another season of American Sports Story, as it's currently being billed as a limited series, another American Story spinoff is in the works.
When American Sports Story was announced in August 2021, FX also revealed plans for American Love Story, with the first season covering the whirlwind courtship and marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
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