American Horror Story spin-off adds Hunger Games prequel star
Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide.
American Horror Story's latest anthology spin-off, American Sports Story, has found its lead.
Ryan Murphy's newest series tells the real-life story of Aaron Hernandez, the NFL player for the New England Patriots who was arrested and convicted for the murder of semi-professional player Odin Lloyd.
As reported by Deadline, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actor Josh Andrés Rivera has been cast as Hernandez. The actor also appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2021 version of West Side Story, and the recent psychological thriller Cat Person.
The publication also states that Broadway actress Lindsay Mendez and Arnold Schwarzenegger's son Patrick Schwarzenegger, who has starred in Gen V and The Staircase, have been cast in the series.
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The series will explore Hernandez's career, identity, family, his own death by suicide, and the impact of his actions on American sports and wider culture.
Filming began earlier this year but was put on pause due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
John Landgraf, the CEO of US Channel FX, said in a statement: "When Ryan Murphy came to us with these two spinoffs and the stories for American Sports Story and American Love Story, we immediately jumped at the opportunity.
"What began with American Horror Story has spawned some of the best and most indelible programs of our generation, most notably American Crime Story, which created a beautiful partnership between Ryan, Brad [Falchuk], Nina [Jacobson] and Brad [Simpson].
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"Their alchemy and the way in which they construct these stories is done with such care, such clarity and such dimensionality that creates the magnificence that is The People v. OJ Simpson, The Assassination of Gianni Versace and Impeachment. We can’t wait to see what comes next."
We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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