Ryan Murphy claps back at Menéndez Brothers series backlash: “I have many things to say about that”
Despite critiques and controversy, Ryan Murphy stands by Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, the latest chapter of his Netflix true-crime series.Based on the high-profile ’90s case that found siblings Lyle and Erik guilty of the murder of their parents, who they claimed were abusive, Monsters‘ accuracy and portrayal have been criticized by viewers and the subjects themselves.Still, as Murphy told Entertainment Tonight during a recent interview, the show — which he spent three years researching — “presents over 10 points of view of different events,” and he “had an obligation to show all of that.”Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Ryan Murphy responds to Erik Menendez calling 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' a "dishonest portrayal." pic.twitter.com/xM7T3ebQ2HThe biggest backlash came from Erik Menéndez (portrayed by Cooper Koch), who called Monsters “dishonest” in a statement, alleging that Murphy “cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”In response, the American Horror Story creator told ET, “It’s interesting [Erik] issued a statement” before watching, adding that he “[knows Erik] hasn’t seen the show in prison” but hopes he does.The 1996 conviction has been called out by the brothers (and even Rosie O’Donnell) for taking place during an “era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and … experienced rape trauma differently than woman,” as Menéndez wrote.Erik Menendez’s wife shares statement from Erik in response to Ryan Murphy’s ‘Monsters’ series:“I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent. […] How demoralizing to know that one man with power can… pic.twitter.com/SgdfMm129SBut as Murphy countered, his statement neglects that “60 to 65% of our show” is centered “around.
