“Spotlight”: Only One Reporter From Film Working Aaron Hernandez Series

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One reporter, Sacha Pfeiffer, from the “Spotlight” film worked on the Aaron Hernandez series “Gladiator” that’s getting a lot of buzz right now.

To most people outside of Boston, the only time you’ve heard of The Boston Globe‘s Spotlight team is from the film, Spotlight. You know, the 2015 film starring Michael Keaton, Rachal McAdams, and Mark Ruffalo that won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. In recent weeks, however, that’s changing thanks to their excellent work on a six-part Aaron Hernandez series.

Three parts of the series (titled “Gladiator”) have been released so far, with three more still to come. In addition to the longform print reporting, the series is also being done via podcast thanks to Wondery, a heavyweight in the podcast world.

Two episodes of the podcast, also called Gladiator have hit the airwaves to date.

And since these are the two times that the Spotlight team has hit my radar, I decided to compare the two and see if the reporters are the same. While I thought it was a longshot since the film boosted each featured reporter’s resume, one remains — Sacha Pfeiffer.

Sacha Pfeiffer, played by Rachel McAdams in the film, is one of five folks who worked on the Hernandez story.

Per the series official website, “the series was reported by Bob Hohler, Beth Healy, Sacha Pfeiffer, Andrew Ryan, and editor Patricia Wen.”

Pfeiffer won a Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for her work on the story featured in the film. According to the Pulitzer Prize official website, they beat out The Detroit News and Pensacola (FL) News Journal to take home the award in the Public Service category.

“For its courageous, comprehensive coverage of sexual abuse by priests, an effort that pierced secrecy, stirred local, national and international reaction and produced changes in the Roman Catholic Church.” 

-The Pulitzer Prize website describing why they won the award.

You can catch up on the first episode of the podcast below, titled “Hail Mary”:

For Gladiator articles and podcast episodes, go here.

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