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What Nathan Lane said about Erik Menendez’s criticism
Lane, who plays journalist Dominick Dunne, said he understood Menendez had criticized the series without watching it. “You know, he hasn’t seen the show,” Lane said. “He’s Just criticizing it and condemning it without ever having seen it, so one has to take that with a grain of salt.” Lane added, “But I would say you should probably see it before you speak out again.” The unusual capital “Just” appears in the published interview text. Variety Australia reported Lane’s remarks on September 26, 2024.
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How Javier Bardem responded
Bardem, who portrays José Menendez, said he had not read Menendez’s criticism in full. Still, he supported Menendez’s right to speak about the depiction of his life: “But of course it’s absolutely normal, logical and legitimate to say what you think about your own life being on a show. I support that.”
Bardem also described the series as presenting competing perspectives: “Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan give different perspectives, different views of the same issue because nothing is set in stone.” His response centered on Menendez’s right to object and the show’s stated use of multiple viewpoints, rather than on whether its scenes were accurate. Variety Australia published Bardem’s comments in the same report.
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What Menendez objected to
Menendez called the series inaccurate and objected in particular to its portrayal of his brother, Lyle, which he described as a caricature rooted in “horrible and blatant lies.” The Menendez family also criticized the show and rejected its suggestion of an incestuous relationship between the brothers. These are objections made by Menendez and his family; they should not be treated as independently established findings. Netflix Tudum summarized the controversy.
Why the series presents competing accounts
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a nine-episode dramatization created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. In the case, prosecutors argued that the brothers acted to obtain their family fortune; the brothers said their actions followed years of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Those are competing accounts of motive, not a settled conclusion supplied by the series.
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Murphy defended the show’s approach as one that includes viewpoints from the parents, brothers and lawyers. He described it as having “a Rashomon approach where it talks about countless perspectives, and a perspective is not a lie.” Netflix’s guide likewise says the series does not offer a concrete conclusion about what drove the brothers, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions. That framing explains the creators’ stated intent; it does not establish that every dramatized scene is accurate. Murphy’s explanation and Netflix’s guide to the series’ perspectives describe that approach.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the actors’ responses do—and do not—settle
Lane challenged the basis for criticizing a series Menendez reportedly had not seen. Bardem, while noting he had not read the full criticism, affirmed Menendez’s right to object to a screen portrayal of his own life. Neither actor’s comments verify the dramatization, resolve the family’s objections or determine which account of the case is correct. They explain the actors’ reactions to the dispute.
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For additional context on Murphy’s defense of the series, the Los Angeles Times reported his response on September 26, 2024.
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