New series examines the rise and fall of NFL star Aaron Hernandez

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – A new FX series looks at the rise and fall of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.

His story made national headlines when the NFL star was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder.

“When something like this happens, you often come across someone who has been convicted of murder, especially a murder that shocked everyone as much as this one. The question many people ask is: what? “What happened to this person or why?” said actor Josh Rivera.

The show attempts to answer some of the “whys” in a troubling case – taking viewers through his struggle with his sexuality, his time as a rising football star at the University of Florida, and ultimately his downfall.

Josh Rivera plays Hernandez in the series and he says it was both a challenging and enlightening role.

“There are a lot of factors at play that I think you can infer, firstly from the media about the initial shock of the murder charge and the case, but secondly from the amount of things behind it and the amount of things in it Components “This person’s life made her such a complex character,” Rivera said.

Rivera said the series could also help give people a better perspective on Hernandez and the events that led to his former friend's murder.

“I think this person has a lot of very human experiences that I think are worth talking about,” Rivera said.

It also opens the door for a conversation about mental health and CTE.

“I would hope that it opens up some talking points that are talked about in a little more detail,” Rivera said.