“I know how hard it must be to have the toughest moments of your life shown on TV for millions to watch,” Koch said.
Cooper Koch, who plays Erik Menéndez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, is speaking out about the negative reactions to the show. After the Menéndez brothers and the public criticized Ryan Murphy’s Monsters for how it shows them, especially their sexual relationship, the cast is responding. Koch told Variety that he understands why people feel this way.
“[Erik’s reaction] really affected me and made me feel a lot, I sympathize with him and understand what he’s going through. I know how hard it is to have the worst moments of your life shown on TV for everyone to see. It’s very revealing. I get his feelings, and I support him.”
he saidAdvertisement
“When I approached playing him, I wanted to do a lot of research and look deep within myself to portray him honestly and respectfully. I wanted to be as true to his story as possible to support him and his family, as well as everyone who stands by him.”
Koch added.
See More: Ryan Murphy Announces Charlie Hunnam to Play Ed Gein in ‘Monster’ Season 3
Erik had earlier released a statement about the nine-episode series, saying that the show was “based on terrible and obvious lies” about him and his brother Lyle. He criticized Murphy for sharing false information. Lyle also posted the statement on his social media.
“It makes me sad to see that Netflix’s unfair portrayal of the tragedies around our crime has taken us back in time. They are going back to a time when people believed that men couldn’t be sexually abused and that their trauma was different from women’s, Many brave victims have shared their stories over the past two decades and shown the truth about these awful lies. Now, Murphy creates a terrible story by making horrible and unfair portrayals of Lyle and me, which is really disappointing.”
Erik wrote
“Is the truth not enough? Let the truth be the truth, How discouraging is it to realize that one powerful man can undo years of progress in bringing attention to childhood trauma?”
he continued
On September 23, Murphy told Entertainment Tonight that he had “lots to say about that” statement.
“I find it interesting that [Erik] made a statement without actually watching the show, I know he hasn’t seen it in prison. I hope he eventually does. I think he will notice the work that Cooper Koch put in.”
he explained
Murphy expressed understanding for how difficult it is for the Menéndez brothers to see their “lives on screen,” calling it “really, really hard.”
“If you watch the show, I would say that 60 to 65 percent of it focuses on the abuse and what they say happened to them, We handle this very carefully, giving them a chance to share their story. They talk openly about it, and we present the facts from their perspective.”
he explained
Knowing that showing any type of sexual abuse could be controversial, Murphy said his team spent three years studying the Menéndez brothers’ case and chose a “Rashomon kind of approach.”
“There were four people involved: two are dead, and two are alive, But what about the parents? As storytellers, we had a duty to include their perspective based on our research, and we did that.”
he told the outlet
Javier Bardem, who plays José Menéndez in the show, also talked to Variety, saying he wasn’t aware of Erik’s response but understands why he might be upset.
“I know he has spoken out, but I haven’t read what he said, It’s completely normal and understandable for someone to share their feelings about their life being shown on a show. I support that. [Series creators] Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan offer different viewpoints on the same issue because nothing is definite.”
Bardem said
“This also includes how we perform our characters. As actors, we need to be open to shifting between different perspectives based on who is telling the story.”
He added
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story tells the story of Erik and Lyle Menéndez, who killed their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez. The show follows their trial in the early ’90s.
In August 1989, the brothers murdered their parents in their home in Beverly Hills. Lyle called 911, crying that they found their parents dead after coming home from a movie.
Erik and Lyle were arrested, found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. They are currently serving their sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now available to stream on Netflix.
Source: People