Charlie Hunnam will portray notorious serial killer Ed Gein in the upcoming Netflix series 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story', part of Ryan Murphy's 'Monster' franchise. The series, which premieres on 3 October, explores Gein's crimes and their cultural impact, including how his case inspired films such as 'Psycho' and 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. Hunnam's performance is described as the year's most daring TV performance, rooted in a painful, barely recognisable humanity.
Hunnam prepared extensively for the role, particularly focusing on Gein's distinctive voice. He obtained a rare 70-minute audio recording of Gein from the night of his arrest, which informed the character's vocal affectations. Director Max Winkler noted that Hunnam went to great lengths to secure the tape, which researchers had been unable to obtain. The voice is described as ethereal and flutelike, resembling a combination of Mark Rylance and Michael Jackson.
This role marks a return to acting for Hunnam, who had taken a break since 2020 due to a back injury sustained during filming. He previously starred in 'Sons of Anarchy' and 'Shantaram'. The 'Monster' franchise has been highly successful for Netflix, with the first season on Jeffrey Dahmer drawing 115.6 million viewers in its first 91 days. The new season will not only cover Gein's crimes but also how popular culture absorbed and refracted them, with Alfred Hitchcock appearing as a character.
