TV Showrunner Ryan Murphy, a.k.a. the king of true-crime dramatization, has put his spin on the sensationalized murder trial of the Menendez brothers. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premiered on Netflix on September 19, 2024, marking the second season of the mega-producer's Emmy-winning series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The new binge-worthy TV series depicts the events following the murder of José and Kitty Menendez by their sons Erik and Lyle, focusing on the trial that sentenced both of the wealthy young men to life in prison.
For the series, creators Murphy and Ian Brennan gathered a cast composed of talented newcomers, veteran actors, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Read on to learn everything about the cast of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez
Erik Menendez—the younger and more mild-mannered Menendez brother, who was 18-years-old when he and Lyle murdered their parents—is played by Cooper Koch. The L.A.-born actor is an alum of the Pace School of Performing Arts in N.Y.C. The 28-year-old began his career with a series of short films during his college days. Before his breakout role in Monsters, Koch played a minor character in season 1 of Power Book II: Ghost.
As of Monsters' release, Erik Menendez is serving his life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. He's now 53.
Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez
Lyle Menendez—who was 21-years-old at the time of the murders and is depicted as the more aggressive brother in Monsters—is played by Nicholas Alexander Chavez. Chavez, 25, was born in Houston, Texas, and started his acting career with the role of Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital, which he starred in from 2021 til earlier this year. In addition to Monsters, he's also set to star in the Murphy-produced FX series Grotesquerie, which premieres just a week after the Netflix series.
As of Monsters' release, Lyle Menendez is currently serving his life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, now at age 56.
Javier Bardem as José Menendez
Lyle and Erik's father José Menendez was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. At the time of his death, he was 45 and the multi-millionaire CEO of a video distribution company.
Javier Bardem is an Oscar-winning actor, with Monsters marking his first-ever regular role in a TV series. The Spanish actor previously worked with Murphy on the 2010 movie Eat, Pray, Love, and according to TheWrap, Bardem was eager to work with the media titan again. He's best known for his roles in the films Before Night Falls, No Country for Old Men, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Mother!, The Little Mermaid, and Dune (and for being married to Penélope Cruz, of course).
Chloë Sevigny as Kitty Menendez
Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, Erik and Lyle's mother, was a former school teacher who met José while studying at Southern Illinois University. She married the future tycoon in 1963. Kitty was 47-years-old at the time of her murder.
Chloë Sevigny, acclaimed actress and forever "It" girl, started modeling before becoming an indie darling with her debut film role in 1995's Kids. She broke into the mainstream in 1999 by starring in Boys Don't Cry in a role that earned her an Oscar nomination. She went on to star in films including American Psycho, Dogville, and Zodiac, as well as series including HBO's Big Love. She has become a regular member of the Murphy-verse, with starring in two seasons of American Horror Story as well as Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.
Nathan Lane as Dominick Duane
Dominick Dunne is an investigative reporter who covered the Menendez trial for Vanity Fair in the '90s. He frequently covered high-profile crime cases including the deaths of William Woodward, Jr., and his own daughter, Dominique Dunne. He was also one of two reporters granted full access to the O.J. Simpson trial in 1995. Dunne died in August 2009, having written five best-selling books.
Nathan Lane is an actor and Broadway legend who has won three Tonys and three Emmys throughout his career. His best-known roles include Timon in The Lion King, Max Bialystock in The Producers, Roy Cohn in Angels in America, and Albert in The Birdcage. He also recently starred in series including American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson (another Murphy-verse series), The Gilded Age, and Only Murders in the Building.
Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson
Leslie Abramson is a former L.A. defense attorney who served as Erik's lead counsel during the murder trial. After the brothers' conviction, she was under investigation due to "allegations that she asked Erik's psychiatrist to delete portions of his notes;" although, the investigation was inconclusive, according to PEOPLE.
Ari Graynor grew up in Boston and made her acting debut with a small role in The Sopranos. She has appeared in dozens of shows and films including 2008's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, 2009's Whip It, 2012's For a Good Time, Call..., CBS' Bad Teacher, 2017's The Disaster Artist, Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here, and FX's Mrs. America.
Dallas Roberts as Dr. Jerome Oziel
Dr. Jerome Oziel, Erik and Lyle's therapist who treated the brothers after the murder—and taped their confessions—is played by Dallas Roberts. The Houston-born actor has starred in dozens of projects, including 2005's Walk the Line, 2007's 3:10 to Yuma, Showtime's The L Word, AMC's The Walking Dead, 2013's Dallas Buyers Club, Netflix's Insatiable, and 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth
Judalon Smyth was Oziel's mistress and former patient at the time of the murder. She's the one who tipped off the police that the therapist had recorded the brothers' confessions.
Leslie Grossman is a Murphy-verse regular, who previously starred in seasons 7-12 of American Horror Story, and appeared in a supporting role in Nip/Tuck. Her other notable roles include The WB's Popular and What I Like About You, ABC's Scandal, NBC's The Good Place, and Hulu's Love, Victor.
Charlie Hall as Craig Cignarelli
Craig Cignarelli, one of Lyle and Erik's closest friends, becomes a key figure in the brothers' court cast, testifying in both trials. In real life, as in the show, he went to the police about Erik's confession after the pair co-wrote a screenplay, called Friends, about a son who murders his parents to receive a multi-million dollar inheritance.
Charlie Hall, 27, is the son of comedy legend Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Saturday Night Live alum Brad Hall. Charlie made his acting debut with a bit role on Veep after graduating from Northwestern University (his parents' alma mater. He went on to appear in the 2021 film Moxie and the TV series Love, Victor; Single Drunk Female; Bel-Air; and The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Jason Butler Harner as Det. Les Zoeller
Les Zoeller, the lead detective in the Menendez case, is played by Jason Butler Harner. He's best known for playing FBI agent Roy Petty in the Netflix hit Ozark. Harner may also be a familiar face due to his supporting roles in series like Homeland, Ray Donovan, The Walking Dead, The Handmaid's Tale, Rabbit Hole, Sugar, and Clipped.
Jeff Perry as Peter Hoffman
Peter Hoffman (pictured above, center left), Jose's former business partner, is portrayed by Shondaland favorite Jeff Perry. The stage and screen actor is best known for playing chief-of-staff Cyrus Beene on Scandal, but his decades-long acting career has included series like My So-Called Life, Nash Bridges, Grey's Anatomy, Alaska Daily, and Inventing Anna.
Carlos Baralt as Enrique Murciano
Carlos Baralt, Jose's brother-in-law and the executor of his will, is played by Enrique Murciano, a Miami-born actor who's best known for playing FBI agent Danny Taylor in CBS's Without a Trace. His other credits include the films Traffic, Black Hawk Down, Bright, and The Half of It, as well as the shows Power, Bloodline, Panic, and The Night Agent.
