Charlie Hunnam discussed his experience playing serial killer Ed Gein in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix limited series Monster: The Ed Gein Story in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The actor was introduced to the project through a three-hour conversation with Murphy and director Max Winkler, during which Murphy unexpectedly asked him to take on the role.
Hunnam initially agreed to the part without hesitation, but experienced significant doubt during the research phase after encountering sensationalized accounts and crime scene imagery. A turning point came when he gained access to Gein’s medical records from his 30-year incarceration in a mental health facility, which revealed a complex human figure grappling with regret and his relationship with his mother. This shift in perspective aligned with Murphy’s stated goal of exploring what transforms a person into a monster.
The actor committed to an extensive physical and vocal transformation for the role. He lost 30 pounds in three and a half weeks before filming began and worked with makeup artist Corey Castellano to develop a prosthetic eyelid characteristic of Gein’s appearance. Hunnam spent considerable time developing Gein’s voice, initially inventing a higher vocal range based on his understanding of Gein’s isolation and maternal abuse, before discovering actual recordings of Gein’s voice one week before shooting began. Daily makeup application took approximately 45 minutes, and he received haircuts each day to maintain the character’s appearance.
During filming in Chicago, Hunnam adopted two kittens to decompress from the psychologically intense role, keeping them in his hotel room at the Four Seasons with the assistance of a full-time cat sitter. He described playing with the kittens for three hours after filming as a necessary counterbalance to portraying the character. The performance earned Hunnam his first Emmy nomination, with the overall series receiving seven Emmy nominations. He emphasized his commitment to finding truth in the character rather than sensationalizing the story, having extensively researched court documents, medical records, and existing films about Gein.
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