Cooper Koch, who portrayed Erik Menendez in Netflix’s Monsters, recently opened up about his emotional journey in playing the infamous figure and his subsequent meeting with the real-life Erik. Following the show’s Oct. 7 release, Koch visited Erik Menendez at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. The actor described the experience as deeply rewarding, stating, “I believe him, I think he’s an amazing human being.” Koch expressed how meeting Erik was a pivotal and transformative experience for him.
Koch’s Empathy and Connection with Erik Menendez
Koch, now 28, has shown consistent support for Erik and Lyle Menendez. The brothers have been serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. However, they have maintained that the killings were in self-defense due to years of alleged sexual and physical abuse by their father.
In interviews leading up to the release of Monsters, Koch shared how his preparation to play Erik led him to feel a deep sense of care and empathy for him. “Preparing to play him was, in a way, preparing to meet him at the same time,” he explained. Koch added that he developed a profound emotional connection to Erik and hoped for a potential future where both Erik and Lyle could be granted parole, given the trauma they allegedly endured.
Erik Menendez’s Criticism of Netflix’s Portrayal
Despite Koch’s personal support, Erik Menendez has expressed disappointmen
t with how the case was portrayed in Monsters. Through his wife, Tammie Menendez, Erik released a statement criticizing the show for distorting the truth. He felt the series set back efforts to shed light on the brothers’ claims of abuse, saying, “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal… has taken painful truths several steps backward.”
This discontent underscores the sensitivity of the Menendez brothers’ case, which has long been a point of public debate, particularly surrounding issues of familial abuse.