Monster actor Charlie Hunnam defends "humanising" Ed Gein following criticism

9 October 2025, 17:10 | Updated: 9 October 2025, 17:49

Monster&squot;s Charlie Hunnam defends "humanising" Ed Gein following criticism — Monster's Charlie Hunnam defends "humanising" Ed Gein following criticism. Picture: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images, Netflix

By Sam Prance

Monster: The Ed Gein Story has been accused of being too "sympathetic" to Ed Gein and now Charlie Hunnam has spoken out.

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Charlie Hunnam has responded to claims that his portrayal of Ed Gein in Monster is "too sensitive" towards the killer.

Like past seasons of Monster, Monster: The Ed Gein Story sparked controversy as soon as it debuted on Netflix. The series explores the life and crimes of murderer and body-snatcher Ed Gein and it's as gruesome and disturbing as you would expect. However, it also seeks to shine light on why Ed Gein became the killer we know him as.

Naturally, this depiction of Ed Gein has faced criticism. Some viewers think that the series "humanises" Ed Gein in a way that he doesn't deserved based on his actions - as well as killing women, Ed dug up dead bodies and turned them into furniture and keepsakes in his home. Now, actor Charlie Hunnam has addressed the backlash.

Read more: Did Ed Gein actually talk like that? Monster fans uncover his real voice in Lost Tapes
Read more: Did Ed Gein help catch Ted Bundy? The true story behind the Monster scene

Watch the Monster The Ed Gein Story trailer

Speaking to Variety about the thought process behind his portrayal of Ed Gein, Charlie revealed: “You have to have an enormous amount of love and empathy for a character that you play to be able to inhabit them." He then admitted: "Because as despicable as Ed was in his acts, I wanted to find the human in there."

Charlie added: "I could certainly see the accusation being levelled at me that I was too sensitive toward him, and let him off the hook a bit too much." He said: "I understand that people are very drawn to [these stories]. I needed to bring Gein to life in as honest and human a way as possible.”

Addressing the backlash further with The Hollywood Reporter, Charlie stated: "What I would hope and feel really confident in is that it was a very sincere exploration of the human condition and why this boy did what he did."

Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story episode 1. Picture: Netflix

As for who is actually the monster in the show, Charlie said that he hopes you thin beyond just Ed Gein himself.

He asked: "Is it Ed Gein who was abused and left in isolation and suffering from undiagnosed mental illness and...that manifested in some pretty horrendous ways? Or was the monster the legion of filmmakers that took inspiration from his life and sensationalized it to make entertainment and darken the American psyche in the process?”

Charlie ended the interview by saying: "Is Ed Gein the monster of this show, or is Hitchcock the monster of the show? Or are we the monster of the show because we’re watching it?"