Joe Paterno (played by Al Pacino) is a protagonist in Paterno.
Head football coach at Penn State for 61 years. Informs his family he fulfilled his legal duty by reporting Mike McQueary's 2001 allegation to administrators. Announces resignation after the season but is ultimately fired by the board of trustees. Later diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and witnesses public debate over his legacy. Sue Paterno (played by Kathy Baker) is a protagonist in Paterno.
Joe Paterno's wife. Horrified by the abuse accusations. Recalls a 1970s incident where Jerry Sandusky played with their children at a hotel pool, highlighting Joe's intense focus on his coaching duties at the time. MRI Tech (played by Kenneth Maharaj) appears in Paterno.
Guido D'Elia (played by Michael Mastro) appears in Paterno.
Todd - Press Photographer (played by Nicholas Sadler) appears in Paterno.
Bobby - Media Wrangler (played by Joshua Morgan) appears in Paterno.
Scott Paterno (played by Greg Grunberg) appears in Paterno.
Mary Kay Paterno (played by Annie Parisse) appears in Paterno.
Paterno (2018) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Joe Paterno
(played by Al Pacino) — protagonist
Head football coach at Penn State for 61 years. Informs his family he fulfilled his legal duty by reporting Mike McQueary's 2001 allegation to administrators. Announces resignation after the season bu...
Sue Paterno
(played by Kathy Baker) — protagonist
Joe Paterno's wife. Horrified by the abuse accusations. Recalls a 1970s incident where Jerry Sandusky played with their children at a hotel pool, highlighting Joe's intense focus on his coaching dutie...
MRI Tech
(played by Kenneth Maharaj) — supporting
Guido D'Elia
(played by Michael Mastro) — supporting
Todd - Press Photographer
(played by Nicholas Sadler) — supporting
Bobby - Media Wrangler
(played by Joshua Morgan) — supporting
Scott Paterno
(played by Greg Grunberg) — minor
Mary Kay Paterno
(played by Annie Parisse) — minor
Galen Hall
(played by Julian Gamble) — minor
Tom Bradley
(played by William Hill) — minor
Security Guard
(played by Sir Brodie) — minor
Mara Lewis
(played by Kaliswa Brewster) — minor
Ron Vanderlinden
(played by Josh Mowery) — minor
Sports Producer
(played by Ross Degraw) — supporting
Devon Smith
(played by Mitchell L. Mack) — supporting
Sports Director
(played by Vito Vitiello) — minor
Control Room Tech
(played by Laura Verillo) — minor
Control Room Tech
(played by Harold Garcia) — minor
Sara Ganim
(played by Riley Keough) — supporting
Patriot-News reporter who breaks the story on the grand jury presentment and subsequent indictments. Investigates past allegations, uncovers the university's long-term cover-up, and reports on the stu...
Mike McQueary
(played by Darren Goldstein) — supporting
Penn State assistant coach who reported to Joe Paterno in 2001 that he witnessed Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulting a young boy in the campus men's shower room.
Story Analysis
A documentary exploring the moral failure and public fallout surrounding Joe Paterno and the Penn State child abuse scandal.
