I had the privilege of speaking with acclaimed actor Javier Bardem at the New York City premiere of the new Netflix animated film “Spellbound.” But our conversation quickly turned to another one of Bardem’s recent projects—his powerful performance as José Menendez in Ryan Murphy’s hit series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
Bardem Reflects on the Impact of ‘Monsters’ Bardem told me that the reaction to “Monsters” has been “big,” with many people sharing how much they enjoyed the show and the way it has thrust the real-life Menendez case back into the public consciousness. The fact that the case can be reopened because of how the show reached the audience and brought it to the table speaks volumes about the show’s quality and Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s research as artists and as responsible people knowing they were dealing with very sensitive material “Bardem said.
The Los Angeles district attorney’s recommendation to resentence the Menendez brothers for their conviction of murdering their parents over three decades ago has undoubtedly heightened the intrigue surrounding the “Monsters” series. Bardem expressed his admiration for his co-stars Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch, who portrayed Lyle and Erik Menendez, respectively.
“They are great actors, but most of all, they are great human beings, and that’s why they are such good actors,” Bardem said. “And I am very proud to be one of your first steps in this.”
Diving into Toxic Masculinity For Bardem, playing the role of the father, José Menendez, allowed him to explore the complex issue of toxic masculinity—something he says he has “been raised into” and continues to fight against in his own life.
“I’ve been raised into that, and it’s something that I fight against every day in my life,” Bardem explained. “My father was a product of that education. I’m uncertain about the circumstances here, but in Spain, men murder their wives on a monthly basis due to their perceived masculinity, a practice that is utterly repugnant. That education system continues to enslave us, leaving us with a wealth of knowledge to acquire.
Bardem’s co-star Chloë Sevigny, who portrayed the Menendez matriarch Kitty, also delved into the toxic masculinity that permeated the Menendez household. In one powerful scene, Sevigny’s character violently rips the toupee off Lyle’s head, symbolizing the stripping away of his false sense of adult masculinity.
Innovative Filmmaking Techniques While the subject matter of “Monsters” is undoubtedly heavy, the production team employed some innovative filmmaking techniques to bring the story to life. Actor Cooper Koch, who played Erik Menendez, spoke about the challenges of filming a 33-minute single-take episode titled “The Hurt Man.”
“We did one rehearsal, and it just couldn’t have gone better,” Koch said. “Okay, we’re going into this, and we’re going to do it, and it’s going to be great, and I’m going to get on the first take, and then we’re going to stop, and then we’re not going to have to do it anymore,” Koch said.
And the first two takes were just… oh, I felt terrible about them.” But with the encouragement of director Michael Uppendahl, Koch was able to tap into the raw emotion and vulnerability required for the ambitious, uninterrupted sequence.
“Then that third take was really explosive and amazing,” Koch said. “They didn’t choose that one.” Ari Graynor, who portrayed Erik’s attorney, Leslie Abramson, lauded Koch’s performance, calling it “the most difficult piece of work I’d ever been a part of or seen.”
As the Menendez case continues to captivate the public’s attention, Bardem’s nuanced portrayal of José Menendez and the cast’s commitment to exploring the complexities of this tragic story have undoubtedly left a lasting impact. It will be fascinating to see how the potential resentencing of the Menendez brothers may further shape the legacy of this powerful series.