finale

She had spent weeks in Mexico preparing for the finale of the prestigious beauty contest.

The score subtly shifts from zydeco to rara — the tones transitioning from that of a backwoods party to a street parade — before leading to an Afro-Cuban finale that builds to the sing-along “Dig a Little Deeper.”

Rivera talked to The Times about the finale, the work that went into creating a complicated portrait of a figure many have judged based on the headlines that followed his imprisonment and death, and why he’s slowly learning to bask in the praise that’s been heaped on him for this breakout performance.

The season finale of “American Sports Story” laid bare the tragic end for Aaron Hernandez, that once promising NFL player.

Then over time, we get to the season finale, where all of these things are pulling at each other.