Nearly 300 lettermen, including Ki-Jana Carter and Franco Harris, signed a statement calling the film “uninformed” and “shameless,” saying it failed to accurately portray the late coach. It depicts the 2011 fallout from Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse becoming public.
MORE: Levinson says “Paterno” retells scandal as it’s presented
The statement in full (via Yahoo Sports):
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“Sadly — and wrongly — HBO’s ‘Paterno’ is not that movie. It has been described by producer Barry Levinson as a work of fiction, which is likely the only truth in the entire project. Incredibly, in making the movie, Levinson and his team never consulted a single person who was close to, worked with, or was coached by Joe Paterno. Not even family members or us, who undoubtedly knew him best of all.
“As a result, this uninformed depiction of Joe fails in every manner about the man we knew and loved. Deviously using ‘fiction’ as his shield, Levinson takes shameless liberties about the Sandusky scandal and Joe’s knowledge of it that would certainly be proven libelous if Joe were alive today.
“As a coach, educator and philanthropist, Joe Paterno was a positive force in our lives, molding us not only to win games, but to win in life. His character, integrity, and moral compass will live on in us long after the ill-gotten ratings of this reckless attempt at entertainment fades away.”
Director Barry Levinson notes that “nobody knows exactly what went on,” referencing Paterno’s meetings with family members and school administrators, instead inviting viewers to “make your own choice.”
Sandusky, an assistant under Paterno from 1969-99 who remained associated with the team well after his retirement, was found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse in 2012, receiving a prison sentence of 30 to 60 years.
