The Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Casting Is So Spot-On
The second season of Netflix's hit true crime anthology series Monsters follows the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez.
"Unlike other endlessly popular true-crime stories—JonBenet Ramsey, O.J. Simpson, Caylee Anthony, the Zodiac Killer, and the Black Dahlia—there is no mystery around the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez," Kaitlin Menza wrote in T&C in 2017. "The brothers have admitted to killing their parents. It’s their theatricality that has made the Menendez men so infamous, their flare for courtroom drama and off-putting outfits, and the brazen nature of their behavior between the murder and their arrests. And then of course there’s the question: Was greed at the heart of this crime—are Lyle and Eric the most extreme spoiled brats in Beverly Hills? Or is there something so evil at the core of this family that the brothers’ actions might have been justified?"
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, now streaming on Netflix, attempts to get to the bottom of the historic case that captured public attention in the 90s. (If you're unfamilar: in 1996, Lyle and Erik were convicted of murdering their parents.) Here, see how the cast of Monsters compares to their real-life counterparts:
Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez
Nicholas Chavez plays Lyle, the elder of the two brothers. Chavez has previously starred in General Hospital (he appeared in 358 episodes!) and is also set to appear in Grotesquerie, premiering this fall.
Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez
Cooper Koch plays Erik, the younger brother. Koch has previously appeared in A New York Christmas Wedding, Swallowed, and They/Them.
Javier Bardem as José Menendez
Spanish actor Javier Bardem—known for films such as Jamón Jamón, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Skyfall, No Country for Old Men, and many, many more—takes on the role of José Menendez, the murdered father.
Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne
Investigative journalist Dominick Dunne reported on the Menendez brothers for Vanity Fair. In Monsters, Nathan Lane (who has starred in everything from The Producers to Only Murders in the Building) plays Dunne.
Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson
Ari Graynor takes on the role of the Menendez brothers' defense attorney Leslie Abramson. Graynor has previously appeared in The Sopranos, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, I'm Dying Up Here, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
Dallas Roberts as Dr. Jerome Oziel
Psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel, whom Erik Menendez confided in about the murders, is portrayed by Dallas Roberts. You make recognize Roberts from roles in shows such as The Walking Dead, The Good Wife, or Insatiable.
Jason Butler Harner as Les Zoeller
Jason Butler Harner, who you may perhaps best know for his role as FBI Special Agent Roy Petty in Ozark, takes on the role of Detective Les Zoeller, the primary investigator in the Menendez murders case.
Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth
Leslie Grossman takes on the role of Judalon Smyth, Dr. Oziel's former patient and mistress. Grossman is a regular on Ryan Murphy shows, including various roles on American Horror Story seasons, and starred in Popular, The Good Place, and more.
Charlie Hall as Craig Cignarelli
Craig Cignarelli was one of Lyle's good friends. In Monsters, he's played by Charlie Hall, an actor (and Julia Louis Drefyus's son!) who previously appeared in The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Jess Weixler as Jill Lansing
Another Menendez brothers defense attorney, Jill Lansing, is played by Jess Weixler in Monsters. Weixler has previously starred in The Good Wife and The Son.
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