The key player in American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is, of course, the titular one, so casting Hernandez correctly was critically important as it is his character who is the focal point for the true-crime series. Aaron Hernandez was a former NFL football player for the New England Patriots, who played for three seasons on the team up until he was arrested and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 and died by suicide in his cell in 2017.

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez tells his story. The series is the latest installment within the American Story media franchise, which also includes American Horror Story and American Crime Story. American Sports Story premiered on September 17 and will continue to air episodes weekly on Tuesdays up through November 12. The American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez cast includes a number of key actors playing real people, and the debut of the actor who plays Hernandez is impressive.

Josh Andrés Rivera Plays Aaron Hernandez In American Sports Story

A Younger Actor Also Plays A Young Version Of Hernandez

Aaron Hernandez is played by Josh Andrés Rivera in American Sports Story. Rivera himself is 29 years old, making him slightly older throughout the events depicted than the real-life Hernandez, who died at age 27. Rivera plays Hernandez from the time when he was early in his football career to the time of his criminal behavior, but his boyish looks help him to play younger, adding to the realism of his portrayal of the infamous tight end, no matter where he was in his life.

While Rivera plays Hernandez throughout the majority of the series, he is not the only actor to play the former football player. The first episode of American Sports Story shows Hernandez growing up, and includes a younger version of Hernandez. Young Aaron is played by actor Leyson Andreck, whose other credits include The Cleaning Lady and Trail of Ashes.

What Movies & TV Shows You Recognize Josh Andrés Rivera From

As for Rivera, the star is an up-and-coming actor who only has a few credits to his name. He had his breakout role playing Chino in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story. After that, he played Dave in the psychological romance thriller Cat Person, as well as a character named Ramiro in one episode of the TV series Sugar Baby. Prior to American Sports Story, Rivera’s most recent role was as Sejanus Plinth in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Playing his first lead role, American Sports Story may help catapult Rivera’s career forward.