What's Inside?
- Charlie Hunnam immersed himself in Ed Gein’s psyche, studying real-life reports to deliver a disturbingly authentic portrayal in 'Monster.'
- 'An American Horror Story' veteran’s advice — “Challenge yourself” — became Hunnam’s driving force, pushing him toward a transformative, career-defining performance.
- Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story combines psychological realism with gothic horror.
Charlie Hunnam’s commitment to embodying Ed Gein in Ryan Murphy’s Monster series has already become one of the most talked-about transformations in Hollywood. Known for his intense preparation and emotional depth, Hunnam reportedly went to great lengths to understand the chilling psyche of America’s most infamous serial killer. Yet, behind this haunting metamorphosis lies a simple yet transformative piece of advice from American Horror Story veteran Sarah Paulson.
Sarah Paulson’s Powerful Advice Gave Charlie Hunnam The Ultimate Push to Play Ed Gein
When Hunnam joined the cast of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, he wasn’t just signing up for another high-profile Netflix role — he was entering the dark and psychologically complex world of one of the 20th century’s most disturbing figures. American Horror Story alum Sarah Paulson, who had worked extensively with Ryan Murphy encouraged Hunnam to push beyond his limits. Hunnam told The Hollywood Reporter –
“I’ve never met Evan Peters. I’m an enormous fan of his work. I would love to get to meet him, but I never had an opportunity to. I did bump into Sarah Paulson, who’s worked with Ryan Murphy a lot and tackled some pretty dark characters and she’s an old friend of mine from way back in the day.”
The actor added, “So I asked her advice about navigating it and she was really kind and basically said, ‘Challenge yourself. Don’t be afraid. It’s inside you, just look deep and find it.’”
Hunnam reportedly refused to rely on prosthetics or over-the-top makeup effects for authenticity. Instead, he focused on embodying Gein’s unsettling stillness, his emotional detachment, and his chilling duality.
Charlie Hunnam Endured A Career-Defining Risk For His Monster Role
This isn’t the first time Charlie Hunnam has taken on a physically and emotionally taxing role. His portrayal of Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy showed his ability to balance vulnerability and violence. However, stepping into the shoes of a real-life murderer like Ed Gein marks a daring new chapter in his career.
The actor’s dedication reportedly impressed the Monster production team and even Ryan Murphy himself. Hunnam is said to have isolated himself during filming to fully inhabit Gein’s disturbing mindset.
Hunnam candidly shared details of his physical transformation. He told Tudum (via Complex)–
“I lost almost 30 pounds just to get a more malnourished, light frame. Ed was incredibly lithe. And so that was a big part of the physicality.”
He added, “I spent a lot of time thinking about where his energy was, that he’s not particularly confident or, like, front-foot type of energy. How to not take up a lot of space, not to be sort of front and centre and too confident in my physicality was really important.”
Transformation was not everything to bring his role to perfection. The character itself was nightmarish for the actor. He admitted, “We tell a very, sort of, varied version, like an all-encompassing version of who he was. So the gruesomeness, but there’s also a little bit of, I don’t want to say tenderness, but you see the human in him.”
“The more I got into learning about Ed, the more it became clear how big the distance was between who I am in my regular life and who Ed was.”
Hunnam was certainly terrifying in the role of Ed Gein, and his relentless efforts for the role gave the fans a close to real image of one of the most popular serial killers in history.
