The following article contains mentions of self-harm and suicide.
Warning: SPOILERS ahead for American Sports Story Season 1!American sports history star Josh Rivera and showrunner Stu Zicherman explained Aaron Hernandez’s final monologue during the series finale. American sports history ends very differently from Hernandez’s real-life story, with the football player (Rivera) having a mind-blowing conversation with his father (Vincent Laresca) in his final moments. This is a far cry from his more tragic real-world suicide, in which the ex-patriot painted bloody images on the wall of his cell and left references to the Illuminati. The TV series imagines a more tender ending that more deeply explores his humanity.
Talking to The wrap about the ending, Rivera explained how the changes made American sports history reflected Hernandez’s identity beyond his crimesrevealing who he was in his final moments. Zicherman added that the moment was a reconciliation of Odin Lloyd’s murder, confessing what he had done despite his dissociation for so long. The showrunner also praised the star’s work in the scene, given his ability to pull off the drama’s complicated final scene. Check out what Rivera and Zicherman had to say below:
Josh Rivera: There are many things in our lives that are really informative for our identities. I couldn’t speak to the reality of that, but at least in this narrative the father – his treatment of Aaron and his passing – was extremely informative. It seems like a fitting way to put everything on the table before we say goodbye to the character. It is something that is present throughout the series. The way I relate to it, there are little things that people deny all the time, including me. Maybe they are physical tics or vibrations that you bring to the group that you may not be aware of. We have this mechanism in us as human beings to have this established sense of identity, and anything that conflicts with that totally destroys our illusion of who we are. I tried to bring that into the character as much as possible.
Stu Zicherman: Josh and I talked a lot about how Aaron was so good at keeping secrets. He could disconnect and dissociate from things. And he truly believed that somehow he didn’t do it, but that was what we were trying to reconcile in the end. What if he had to actually look in the mirror and consider what he did and express some regret?…. I love the whole second part. I kept rewriting for Josh. This transformation occurs literally in the scene. I don’t think many actors can do the scene we did.
Josh Rivera: I felt very protected by everyone. That’s really what I can say about it. It was a very fitting and hard-working ending.
What Rivera and Zicherman’s statement reveals about the American Sports Story ending
Changing reality allows for deeper thematic exploration
While the cast of American sports history brings Hernandez’s crime to life, The show also highlights the role chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) played in the murder. However, it does not use the neurological disease to justify the football player’s crimes, but rather to emphasize the complexities associated with homicide. By portraying him in a sympathetic light during his final moments, the show not only avoids glorifying his disturbing real-life suicide, but also raises awareness of how the illness destroyed him.
Although the final episode changed Hernandez’s fate to some extent, its careful balance between the reality of what happened and an emotional ending still captures the elaborate nature of his crime. The show was about the ex-patriot’s crimes alongside who he was as a personfrom his repressed sexuality to the damage CTE caused him. Of course, by giving him one last imaginary conversation with his father, Rivera and Zicherman wanted to create a memorable ending that didn’t focus unceremoniously on the harsh tragedy of his final moments.
Our Take on How American Sports History Ended
It made sense not to glorify Hernandez’s suicide
Although American sports history chose not to depict Hernandez’s suicide, the decision makes sense to avoid glorifying the tragic way his life ended. By featuring a final conversation with his father, the story becomes even more tragic, imagining what could have happened if he hadn’t murdered Lloyd. Given the emotional ending, it’s clear that the show decided to tell the story it wanted, with Rivera and Zicherman’s contributions making it all the more poignant.
Source: The wrap