“American Sports Story” Casts “Hunger Games” Prequel star Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez

The upcoming FX anthology series will follow the life of the late New England Patriots athlete

Aaron Hernandez’s life story will be told through a new lens.

On Friday, it was revealed that Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star Josh Andrés Rivera would play the NFL athlete in a new FX anthology series titled American Sports Story. IndieWire was first to share news of the casting.

American Horror Story co-creator Ryan Murphy will executive produce the television show, which was first announced in August 2021.

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Rivera, 28, will portray a young Hernandez in the new series.

Rivera “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 series is based on the Boston Globe and Wondery podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.

After overcoming a troubled childhood, Hernandez went on to see success as a tight end for the New England Patriots. During his time at the University of Florida, Hernandez with Tim Tebow, who will be played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, reports Variety.

American Sports Story's first season will take a deep-dive into Hernandez’s life in today’s world and through multiple perspectives.

His downfall came when he was convicted for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez was also indicted for the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, but was acquitted in a 2017 trial. The pro athlete died on April 19, 2017 by suicide at the age of 27 while in prison.

Related: Aaron Hernandez's Murder Victim's Family Reacts to His Suicide: 'This Is God's Will'

“I think a lot of people don’t understand the hard work and discipline that Aaron had to become so successful,” his attorney, Jose Baez, told PEOPLE just three days before his death. “He worked very hard to get to where he was, and he overcame a lot of odds to get there.”

Former University of Florida classmate Katie Benson Sears reflected on Hernandez’s influence as a college athlete.

“Aaron stood out, even among the football players,” Sears said in 2017. “You’ve got to understand that the Gator football players were gods here. They weren’t just big men on campus; they were known in the community. If they went to restaurants, the owners would want to take their pictures. Kids would come up for autographs.”

“Aaron walked around the campus and the town like he owned it," she added.

When American Sports Story was announced, FX chairman John Landgraf said in a statement that when Murphy, 57, shared the idea, “We immediately jumped at the opportunity.”

Dana Walden, chairman of entertainment at Walt Disney Television, added, “More than a decade ago, Ryan Murphy expressed interest in expanding the American Horror Story model to be able to tell different American stories, which have long captivated so many of us. It was a brilliant idea. Adding these new installments to the franchise will enable Ryan, Brad [Falchuk], Nina [Jacobson] and Brad [Simpson] and their talented teams to tackle riveting stories outside of the horror and crime genres.”

Another franchise spin-off, American Love Story, will follow the romance of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

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