Ryan Murphy Suggests Incarcerated Menendez Brothers Should Be Grateful for the Attention Amid Monsters Criticism
Ryan Murphy believes that Lyle and Erik Menéndez, currently incarcerated, should show gratitude towards him for the immense publicity they received from the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Despite the brothers’ displeasure with their portrayal, Murphy feels they should acknowledge the show’s role in bringing their story back into the international spotlight after decades of obscurity.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy asserted, “The Menéndez brothers should be sending me flowers. They haven’t had so much attention in 30 years.” He emphasized that he and Ian Brennan, the co-creator of the series, have successfully achieved their creative objectives with the show.
Murphy pointed out that despite the brothers’ and their lawyers’ dissatisfaction with the show’s portrayal from the beginning, many individuals have voiced support for the Menendez brothers as a result of the series. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premiered in September, focusing on the Menendez brothers’ trials and subsequent conviction in 1996, leading to a life sentence without parole.
Despite Erik Menendez’s expressed anger, through his wife Tammi’s tweet, about the misrepresentation in the show, Murphy dismissed their claims of victimhood. He stated, “We had an obligation to so many people, not just to Erik and Lyle. But that’s what I find so fascinating, that they’re playing the victim card right now—’poor, pitiful us’—which I find reprehensible and disgusting.”
Although facing backlash, the actors Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch received praise from Ryan Murphy for their performances. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is currently streaming on Netflix.
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