Dec 24
Watch: 'Monsters' Star Cooper Koch Says No, Thanks to Playing Luigi Mangione
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Cooper Koch did such a good job portraying Erik Menéndez – who, along with his brother, Lyle, is serving a life sentence for the murder of their parents – in Ryan Murphy's Netflix series "Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story" that fans are clamoring for him to play a different accused killer: Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the shooting death of insurance company CEO Brian Thompson
Koch's not interested, though, Us Weekly reports.
Mangione is being held in connection with the killing, which took place on Dec. 4. Once photos of Mangione started circulating, including a snap of him hiking shirtless with his well-defined six-pack abs visible, he was quickly embraced as a sex symbol.
Koch's portrayal of Erik Menéndez is layered and, at times, devastating as the character describes sexual abuse he supposedly suffered throughout his childhood at the hands of his father while his mother allegedly turned a blind eye. The series has led to renewed interest in the brothers' case; they claim they were acting in self defense when they slew their parents with shotguns in 1989.
The out actor was quizzed on the prospect of playing the accused assassin by Entertainment Tonight, but he was quick to say he would prefer to move on to other sorts of roles rather than portray another triggerman.
"I think I have to take a departure from the crime scene and do something else," Koch mused, "but I did find that hilarious" that there's a public demand for him to take on the role of Mangione in a TV or movie account of the slaying.
His stance on the question is a little different from his previous comments that he would be keen to star in a planned remake of "American Psycho" by "Queer" director Luca Guadagnino.
Koch also spoke about having been nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on the series – a first for him – saying that he would attend the awards ceremony with his partner and "hopefully" also with his twin brother, Payton, an acclaimed film editor.
To watch the interview, follow this link.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
