Lyle Menendez Actor Nicholas Chavez Says ‘Intensive Preparation’ Went Into ‘Monsters’ Role: I Was ‘Thrown Into the Depths’ of Ryan Murphy’s Vision

As a film enthusiast who has been fortunate enough to witness the rise of emerging talents, I find Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s current trajectory nothing short of captivating. His dual roles in Ryan Murphy’s projects, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and “Grotesquerie,” demonstrate a versatility that is both intriguing and impressive.

I’m thrilled to be experiencing a groundbreaking phase in my career, taking on significant roles in two of Ryan Murphy’s recent ventures: the Netflix miniseries “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and the upcoming FX series, “Grotesquerie.” At a press conference for the latter show on Monday, I shared insights about how these two projects demanded distinct approaches. One is rooted in actual events, while the other is a work of fiction.

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Ryan, a master world-builder. What made this experience unique was working on two distinct worlds. The Menendez project, rooted in real events from 1989 and early ’90s, provided a pre-existing context for our storytelling. On the other hand, the second project presented an entirely new universe, where creativity and imagination were our only boundaries. I was thrilled to dive into the vastness of Ryan’s ideas, and it was a humbling honor to be part of both these worlds.

In “Grotesquerie,” Chavez portrays Father Charlie Mayhew, a progressive priest who finds himself confronted with fresh disclosures following an encounter with Detective Lois Tryon, played by star Niecy Nash-Betts. Concurrently, Chavez stars in “Monsters” as Lyle Menendez, the elder brother to Erik (Cooper Koch). The Menendez brothers gained notoriety when their trial was televised nationally during the early ’90s. They were imprisoned for life in 1996 after being found guilty of murdering their parents.

In the interview on Monday, Chavez mentioned his rapid transition from “Monsters” to “Grotesquerie”, a change that occurred rather swiftly without much opportunity for him to alter direction.

Chavez stated, “There were no gaps in between and nothing was compressed.” He added that playing Father Charlie allowed him to act on his spontaneous feelings without hesitation. He trusted his intuition, and the people around him supported him to make daring decisions. In contrast, working with Lyle required extensive, detailed preparation. This experience, however, was more about unfiltered, unrestrained instincts.

On Wednesday, the initial hour of FX’s show “Grotesquerie” will debut, marking the start of its 10-episode season. Meanwhile, you can stream “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” on Netflix now.

2024-09-23 23:16

Lyle Menendez Actor Nicholas Chavez Says ‘Intensive Preparation’ Went Into ‘Monsters’ Role: I Was ‘Thrown Into the Depths’ of Ryan Murphy’s Vision

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