From Olympic glory to controversy, the legendary sprinter revisits a defining chapter of his career in a sharp mockumentary series.
For most of the world, Ben Johnson’s name is tied to the 1988 Seoul Olympics: a gold medal, a record-breaking run, and a moment that became one of the most talked-about in sports history. More than three decades later, Hate The Player revisits that chapter through Johnson’s point of view.
Created by Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office, Secret Life of Boys), the Paramount+ mockumentary presents a satirical retelling of Johnson’s story as he sets out to reclaim his legacy and revisit his side of what happened around the 1988 Games, often referred to as “The Dirtiest Race in History.”
“I feel pretty solid that I can reclaim my story in a proper, positive way,” Johnson tells SWAGGER. “Doing it as a comedy and having a younger generation and my family see it on screen feels nice at this point in my life.”
Shamier Anderson, who plays Johnson, approached the role with a level of care that feels both technical and personal. “I approach all my roles the same, living truthfully underneath imaginary circumstances. I’m fully immersive,” he says. “However, this one changed because of the cultural significance and the familiarity of this man who’s Jamaican from Scarborough; it feels like family. For me, it was important to make sure we portrayed him with that extra level of authenticity and care, especially because he’s here to see it.”
There was no shortage of material to draw from, and Anderson fully immersed himself in it. “There’s a lot of source material out there about this man. He’s very famous, so Google was my best friend,” he says. “I went online and pulled everything I could find. I didn’t really speak with him before shooting. We met briefly, but it was important for me to get different perspectives.” Physically, the role demanded just as much commitment. “I didn’t have much time to prepare, and I’m not a professional athlete,” he says. “But I had to get as close as I could, not just to looking like an athlete, but to being like Ben Johnson, so I trained a lot, including in the kitchen, where I had to eat clean and pull back on a lot of the things I like.”
Some of the finer details came from closer to home. “My mom, who’s a Jamaican woman, helped me with the Jamaican accent,” Anderson says. “She would send me voice memos every morning, sharing certain things and how to say them.” That grounding also carried into his scenes with Karen Robinson, who plays Johnson’s mother. “She’s literally a Canadian icon,” he says. “Karen is a very serious craftswoman; she comes to set, knows her material, and delivers every single time. She’s also very down to earth. I feel really lucky that she’s not only a colleague, but someone I got to share that dynamic with. She’s outstanding in this show—an anchor.”
Part of what makes the series work is that Johnson himself is in on the tone. “Ben’s a very funny guy,” Anderson says with a laugh. “There’s a world where he’s on stage doing a comedy special.” For Johnson, approaching the story this way feels intentional. “I believe that doing it in a comedy format is the right fit,” he tells SWAGGER. “My life and my career turned in a different way, but in a positive way. The way things happened, it almost felt like a joke. I was the one who paid the price, and now I’m trying to get back on course, 38 years later.”
Andrew Bachelor, who plays Carl Lewis, brings his own perspective to the dynamic. “Me and Shamier, we’ve been boys for a while, so when you’re friends with someone, it’s easier to play off each other,” he says. “It made everything fun. The set, the directors, the producers, the whole environment was great for creativity.” He sees that same openness reflected in the show itself. “It’s interesting to find out where the truth really is,” he adds. “There are always two sides to a story. Actually, three. You’ve got his side, the other person’s side, and then what the viewer sees. So people get to see a different point of view.”
For Johnson, revisiting this chapter ultimately comes down to trust. “You must believe in people,” he says. “You have to trust that they’re going to tell the story the right way. Shamier, who plays me, did a wonderful job.”
More than three decades on, Hate The Player doesn’t attempt to settle the story. It gives Johnson the space to tell it on his own terms, with a satirical edge.
Episodes one and two of Hate The Player are now streaming on Paramount+.