Ryan Murphyhas sparked conversation once again withMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the second installment in hisMonsterbiographical crimedrama anthology seriesthat started withDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The series dramatizes the events that led up to the brutal murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) at the hands of their sons Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch). It examines the story from before the events to the discovery of their guilt, arrests, and the lengthy trial that shocked the nation.
The series was beautifully cast with actors, both known and relative unknowns, playing people pivotal to the case. This includes the Menendez family members themselves as well as friends, family members, law enforcement, lawyers, and others. After powering through all nine episodes, or even while in the middle of watching, fans are curious about the real-life people these individuals are playing.
The Main Cast Is a Mix of Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The main cast of the series is made up of actors who are known in Hollywood along with some newcomers, including the pair playing the brothers at the center of the case.
Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez
Nicholas Alexander Chavez plays Lyle Menendez, the eldest Menendez brother whom younger brother Erik looked up to. While Lyle initially did not initially disclose sexual abuse against him, he later alleged that his father abused him as well. Presented in the series as the more confident of the two brothers, the leader, Lyle and his brother both went into a room and brutally shot their parents multiple times, then covered up the crime.
Chavez is a relative newcomer on the scene. His most notable role to date is as Spencer Cassadine in the daytime soap operaGeneral Hospital, which he played from 2021 to 2024. The role earned him a Daytime Emmy Award. He also appeared in the 2022Tubi original filmCrushed. Chavez delivers a convincing performance.
Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez
The younger Menendez brother,Erik, was just 18 at the time of the murders. It’s his confession to his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel that eventually led to the arrest of the young men for the murders. Like his older brother, Erik recalled alleged instances of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by his father dating back to when he was a young child. To this day, he maintains the brothers acted out of fear of further abuse and that their father might eventually kill them.
Cooper Koch, who nails the role, only started acting in 2020. His most notable roles include Stu inThey/Themand Benjamin inSwallowed, both horror films that premiered in 2022. Koch captures the emotional intensity of Erik in a way that almost makes fans sympathize with the young, impressionable, and deeply wounded man.
Javier Bardem as José Menendez
José Menendezwasa Cuban immigrantwho had a fruitful career as a corporate executive in the music business. He moved his family to Beverly Hills, where they lived a lavish life. But behind closed doors, the brothers say that their father was a tyrant. A perfectionist with high standards for his children who responded brutally when they were not met, they suggest he inflicted severe emotional and physical abuse on them. They also recount troubling allegations of repeated sexual abuse.
Javier Bardem,who plays José, is a Spanish actor with an impressive resume. He has earned numerous Academy Award nominations and won for his role inNo Country for Old Menin 2007. Some of his other notable movies includeVicky Cristina Barcelona, Skyfall, Dune, andDune: Part Two. Most recently, Bardem starred in the live-action remake ofThe Little Mermaid. He plays the role of José with a ferocity and subtle, domineering presence that proves why he was chosen.
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Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez
Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendezwas murdered alongside her husband on the fateful night. She purportedly struggled withmental health issues, including depression. The brothers also allege that she was an alcoholic and was abusing pills. They also claim that she knew what José was doing to her sons but did not do anything about it.
Chloë Sevignyis an accomplished, Academy Award-nominated actor. Rising to fame with early roles inKidsandBoys Don’t Cry, the latter of which earned her an Oscar nomination, she also starred in the HBO seriesBig Love. Other notable roles includeZodiac, Portlandia, American Horror Story, andBloodline. Her most recent high-profile roles includeRussian Doll, The Act, Poker Face, andFeud: Capote vs. The Swans.
Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne
Dominick Dunnewas a journalist who covered high-profile criminal cases forVanity Fair. Naturally, he was a key figure in the media coverage of the Menendez case and trial and is credited with shaping the public opinion surrounding it, including how people felt about the story the boys were recalling.
The character is played byNathan Lane, who has amassed a long list of credits in movies, TV shows, and on stage, including Broadway. In fact, he has been nominated for six Tony awards and won three. He appeared in another Ryan Murphy project,The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, where he played F. Lee Bailey. Most recently, fans have enjoyed his recurring role as Teddy DimasinOnly Murders in the Building.
Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson
At the heart of the case, and the one person on Erik’s side, wasLeslie Abramson, his defense attorney. She had built a reputation as a skilled criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles, known for her aggressive style in the courtroom. Her approach in this case was to show graphic evidence and discuss the abuse claims in explicit detail in hopes of convincing a jury that the boys were telling the truth. She wanted the jury to believe that they were deeply traumatized by their childhoods and feared for their lives. However, after an initial mistrial, the allegations of abuse were not permitted in the second trial, which many feel led to the convictions.
Tackling this pivotal role isAri Graynor, known for roles inI’m Dying Up Here, The Sopranos, andFringe. Most recently, fans may recognize her as Honey Kaplan inWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
Other Supporting Cast Members
Along with the main cast, there are several supporting cast members who appear in the series.
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What to Know About Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and the Case Today
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyis the second installment in Ryan Murphy’s true crime drama anthology seriesMonster. The first series,Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Storyreceived mixed reviews but became one of Netflix’s most-watched series. It earned six Emmy nominations and Niecy Nash won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
All nine episodes ofMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storywere released on August 14, 2025, and are available to stream. Murphy has confirmed that the third season will center around serial killer Ed Gein and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) hasbeen tapped to play the role.
Both Lyle and Erik Menendez remain in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of their parents. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The first trial ended in a mistrial and the second led to a guilty verdict. The second trial, however, disallowed evidence of abuse from the defense, which is largely what the entire case hinged on.
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Following thePeacock docuseriesMenendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed,where former Menudo member Roy Rosselló alleged that he was abused by Jose Menendez, who was working with the band at the time at his label, Erik and Lyle filed documents for a new hearing in May 2023. This is still pending,according to Esquire, with additional evidence prompting an appeal as well. A supposed letter that Erik wrote to his now-late cousin Andy in which he discussed the abuse was reportedly found by a family member and submitted to lawyers. The letter was dated months prior to the murder, and if authenticated, could prove that Erik was telling the truth. While Erik and Lyle would still be charged and guilty, the hope is to get the charges reduced from murder to manslaughter based on new evidence.
For now,Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyis a gripping account of real-life events, told based on what’s known (and believed) surrounding the family and the murders. With the potential for Emmy buzz, particularly around Chavez and Koch for their incredible performances, it’s a must-watch for fans of true crime and Murphy’s line of work. For anyone who recalls this harrowing case from decades ago, it’s an interesting interpretation of the story that, while presenting controversial elements, is bringing the tragic event back into public conversation.
StreamMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyon Netflix.
