Following the incredible success of “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan have teamed up to tackle the second installment of their “Monster” anthology series for Netflix, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
The limited series seeks to discover who the real monsters in the high-profile murder trial were. The Menendez brothers captivated America, as their televised Court TV trial is one of the first of its kind. The two boys killed their parents on Aug. 20, 1989, at only 18 and 21 years old. Their counsel called it self defense, while the prosecution called them greedy. Both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after two trials.
Murphy assembled established actors like Javier Bardem, Nathan Lane, and Chloë Sevigny to embody the real-life adult characters but brought on some newcomers to portray the Menendez brothers themselves.
Read on to get to know the cast of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and see how they shape up to their real-life counterparts.
Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez
Nicholas Alexander Chavez plays Lyle, the eldest of the two Menendez brothers. He was 21 years old at the time of the murders in 1989. After being accepted to Princeton, Lyle was put on academic probation and eventually suspended for plagiarism.
Chavez has previously appeared on “General Hospital” and is set to be in another Ryan Murphy project “Grotesquerie” this fall.
Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez
Newcomer Cooper Koch plays Erik Menendez, the younger of the two brothers who was only 18 at the time of the murders. Erik was an aspiring tennis star, an element of his personal life teased in the “Monsters” trailer. When the brothers went on a spending spree in the months following the killings, Erik hired a personal tennis coach and competed in tennis tournaments in Israel, from which he flew back to Los Angeles to turn himself in after his brother’s arrest.
Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez
Chloë Sevigny plays Kitty Menendez, the wannabe Hollywood star turned resentful stay-at-home mom. In the trailer for the Netflix series, Kitty admits that she never wanted children and in fact regrets having her boys. Kitty was shot 10 times in total by her sons, and her son Lyle had to go back to his car to reload before shooting the final, fatal shot to her cheek.
Sevigny appeared in Hulu’s “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” and is also known for her performances in “American Psycho” and “Bloodline.”
Javier Bardem as José Menendez
Javier Bardem plays José Menendez, a music industry executive and Erik and Lyle’s father. Responsible for the family’s wealth and luxurious Beverly Hills home, José worked as a top executive at RCA Records. During the murder trials, the boys cited their father’s emotional and sexual abuse as the reason they killed their parents out of self-defense.
Oscar Award winner Bardem is known for his work in “No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos” and “Eat Pray Love.”
Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne
Nathan Lane plays Dominick Dunne, an investigative journalist who covered the murder trials for Vanity Fair. His “courtroom notebook” series gave America an inside look into the high-profile trials. Dunne followed the case since the day of the murders in 1989, and his in-depth reporting informed this “Monsters” season.
Tony and Emmy winner Lane is best known for his onscreen roles in “The Birdcage” and “The Producers.” The actor of stage and screen also lent his voice to Disney’s “The Lion King” as Timon.
Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson
Ari Graynor plays Leslie Abramson, one of Los Angeles’ most prominent defense attorneys. The lawyer, known for her recognizable blonde pin curls, was the lead counsel for Erik Menendez. Unlike Lyle’s representation, she worked closely with the youngest brother for both trials.
Graynor has previously appeared in “I’m Dying Up Here,” “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” and “The Sopranos.”
Dallas Roberts as Dr. Jerome Oziel
Dallas Roberts plays Erik’s psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel. Erik confessed to the murders of his parents to Oziel, who eventually told his then-mistress Judalon Smyth about the brothers’ involvement. Oziel played a significant role in the murder trials and testified in court.
Roberts is best known for his roles in “Law & Order” and “The Walking Dead.”
Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth
Leslie Grossman plays Judalon Smyth, who was the mistress of Erik Menendez’s therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. After a fight that ended the two’s relationship, Smyth reported Erik’s confession to the Los Angeles police department.
Grossman has previously worked with Ryan Murphy in “American Horror Story” and is also known for her roles in “The Good Place” and “Love, Victor.”
Jess Weixler as Jill Lansing
Jess Weixler plays Jill Lansing, who served as lead counsel for Lyle Menendez on the first trial. She and Lyle had a special bond, and he did not testify in the second trial because he said he did not trust his new legal counsel, Charles Gessler, who was a Los Angeles County Public Defender.
Weixler is known for her performances in “Teeth,” “The Big Bad Swim” and “The Good Wife.”
All episodes of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” are now streaming on Netflix.
