This article contains references to sexual abuse.
Netflix’s hit show Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryRyan Murphy’s follow-up to 2022’s scandalous sensation Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryFollow the infamous brothers from their initial plot to kill their parents to their final sentencing of life without parole. But the Menendez brothers are far from the only real-life figures dramatized on screen, as various characters highly involved in their trial get their moments to shine.
Chief among the historical players is lawyer Leslie Abramson (played by Ari Graynor), whose desperate defense of Eric failed to free him or his brother, but left a deep impression on the world about the sexual and emotional abuse they allegedly suffered in their Father’s hands. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Also the perspective of Dominick Dunne (Nathan Lane), whose daughter Dominick was murdered by her ex-boyfriend a decade earlier. The killer, John Sweeney, only spent a ridiculous two and a half years in prison – sending Dunne on the warpath when he feared the Menendez brothers might get off scot-free thanks to what he perceived as a flawed defense strategy.
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Screen Rant interviewed Lane and Graynor about their approach to the tragic truths behind Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Lane shared how he contacted Dominick Dunn’s son in real life to better understand the investigative journalist, while Graynor admitted that he was still brushing up on her Leslie Abramson knowledge even after the show finished filming.
Nathan Lane spoke to Dominic Dunn’s son to understand monsters better
“Then it was just trying to catch his cadence and his tone, which was very specific.”
Screen Rant: Nathan, can you provide any insight into Dominick Dunne’s personality and how you approached bringing his character to life on screen?
Nathan Lane: Well, I have to pay tribute to the writers here because this is their creation, their version of Dominic, and it was so beautifully written. I sent the first four episodes to read and then spoke with Ryan, who said we’d like to explore in a later episode some of his backstory and what led to his passionate advocacy for victims.
Just the usual, doing a lot of research and reading. I talked to Griffin Dunn, his son, who was really helpful; A beautiful person and a wonderful writer. He recently wrote a memoir called The Friday Afternoon Club, which is a great book. I got an advanced copy of it, and it helped me a lot to see Dominic through the eyes of his son.
Then it was just trying to catch his cadence and his tone, which was very specific. I would just look at a ton of YouTube videos of him being interviewed. There’s a lot of what they call the American TV archives, and he’s all over that. I found that extremely helpful. And then just the writing in the show itself was so damn good that it did a lot of the work for me.
Ari Graynor still looked to Leslie Abramson’s book for guidance after the monsters ended
“It was the whole other mothering, nurturing, soulful part of her…”
Screen Rant: Ari, what was your process for embodying the traits that made Leslie Abramson such a relentless and dedicated defense attorney? Did you read her book or use any other specific resources to prepare for the role?
Ari Graynor: You know her book, the defense is ready! I sure did. Boy, I read the defense is ready. I read it, I audiobooked it, I bookmarked it…I actually brought it with me. I’m such a nerd that, even before we had this, I had to re-pack all my Leslie stuff. So, her book is with me here in the hotel.
Like Nathan, I just consumed everything I could to try to see it, know it, watch it…because she was such an incredible [lawyer] And had such an amazing energy and was brilliant and all those things. It’s like you’re going on a scavenger hunt of clues and details. And then you do all the deep acting work to try to embody it so that you can take these beautiful scripts and really make them come to life with her spirit, which is what I wanted most.
I knew she was fierce and tough and amazing in the room, but it was this whole other kind of mothering, nurturing, soulful part of her that I really hoped to bring out.
About Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Following the massive success of Dahmer, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology series returns with Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, chronicling the case of the real-life brothers who were convicted in 1996 of the murders of their parents , José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Mendez.
While the prosecution argued that they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers argued — and remain steadfast to this day as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole — that their actions stemmed from fear of a lifetime of physical harm. , emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dives into the historic case that took the world by storm, paved the way for audiences’ modern fascination with true crime, and in return asks the audience: Who are the real monsters?
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Source: Screen Rant Plus