One of the brothers found guilty of killing their parents in 1989, Erik Menendez called actor Cooper Koch moments before the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” went live. This drama chronicles Erik and his brother Lyle.
Erik and Cooper discussed the series and how it depicts the events on their call. Playing Erik in the show, Cooper said he aimed to depict Erik as precisely as he could. He told Erik he tried his best to present his side of the tale and he believed in him.
Erik respected Cooper’s effort but was not sure about the show. He believed it brought back terrible memories and lacked the truth. Erik stated it was difficult to witness his life and its darkest events portrayed theatrically.
Cooper stayed by his portrayal and sensed Erik’s emotions despite the backlash. He realized Erik must find it difficult to see his life shown on film.
Released on September 19, the show has spurred debates about the case of the Menendez brothers and media coverage of it. Erik’s call to Cooper emphasizes the continuous influence of their narrative and the difficulties in translating actual occurrences into entertainment.