Chloë Sevigny, Javier Bardem Star in True Crime Murder Case

Chloë Sevigny and Javier Bardem are set to portray a tragic couple in an upcoming Netflix series.

The duo will star as Mary Louise “Kitty” and José Menendez, the ill-fated parents murdered by their own sons, Lyle and Erik. Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch take on the roles of Lyle and Erik, respectively. The brothers were convicted in 1996 after alleging they killed their parents due to a history of abuse. This infamous case will be depicted in the latest installment of Ryan Murphy’s “Monster” anthology series, titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”

The official synopsis delves into the Menendez brothers’ trial, where the prosecution argued they killed their parents to inherit their family fortune. In contrast, the brothers maintained that a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents drove them to commit the crime. Currently serving life sentences without parole, the brothers’ story raises an essential question for viewers: Who are the real monsters?

The Menendez family saga was previously adapted in 2017’s “The Menendez Murders,” part of the “Law & Order True Crime” series by Dick Wolf.

Sevigny, a frequent collaborator of Murphy, joins the cast after her recent stint in “Feud.” Bardem is making his debut in a Murphy project with this series. The cast also includes Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne and Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson.

Other notable cast members include Leslie Grossman, Dallas Roberts, Paul Adelstein, Jason Butler Harner, Enrique Murciano, Michael Gladis, Drew Powell, Charlie Hall, Gil Ozeri, Jeff Perry, Tessa Auberjonois, Tanner Stine, Larry Clarke, Marlene Forte, and Jade Pettyjohn.

Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan co-create and executive produce “Monsters,” alongside Bardem, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, David McMillan, Louise Shore, and Carl Franklin.

Directors for the season include Brennan, Franklin, Max Winkler, Paris Barclay, and Michael Uppendahl. Writing credits go to Murphy, Brennan, David McMillan, Todd Kubrak, and Reilly Smith.

Although Murphy exited his Netflix deal in 2023 for a partnership with Disney (which includes Hulu and 20th Century Fox TV), “Monsters” remains on the streaming service. The previous installment, “Dahmer — Monster,” won an Emmy and was one of Netflix’s most popular English-language TV originals. It was renewed for a second season in 2022.

In addition to the “Monster” series, Murphy is venturing into sports territory with “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez.” This Hulu series stars Josh Rivera as the infamous New England Patriots tight end, who was convicted of murder. The cast also includes Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow, Tammy Blanchard as Terri Hernandez, and Lindsay Mendez as Tanya Singleton.

“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” premieres on Netflix on September 19. A trailer for the series is available below.

Source: Netflix, Hulu