To become the infamous Ed Gein for Netflix, Charlie Hunnam did more than just act—he completely changed his body and mind. The star of Monster: The Ed Gein Story lost a significant amount of weight, tracked down a rare secret audio tape, and even stayed in character for the entire filming period. Hunnam says his goal was to understand the man behind the monster, not to glorify his horrific crimes.
Becoming Ed Gein
Charlie Hunnam knew that playing serial killer Ed Gein required a total transformation. He told Netflix’s Tudum, “I wanted to get as close as possible to who Ed was, to do him justice, and for this thing to feel authentic.” His preparation was intense, focusing on both the physical and psychological aspects of the role.
To match Gein’s slight frame, Hunnam lost nearly 30 pounds. He explained that this was a key part of capturing Gein’s physical presence. “I lost almost 30 pounds just to get a more malnourished, light frame. Ed was incredibly lithe,” Hunnam said. He also worked on making his body language smaller and less confident, learning “how to not take up a lot of space.”
Perhaps the biggest breakthrough came from his research into Gein’s voice. Hunnam discovered that Gein’s high-pitched, soft way of speaking was an “affectation” for his mother. “It was what Ed thought that his mother wanted him to be,” Hunnam revealed. “It wasn’t an authentic voice that lived in him. It was this persona.” To get the voice right, Hunnam listened to a rare, 70-minute audio tape of Gein that was recorded the night of his arrest but was never used in court.
A Story of Mental Health and Isolation
The new season of the Monster anthology, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, explores how Gein became one of history’s most notorious figures. The series shows how his isolation, mental illness, and toxic relationship with his domineering mother, Augusta, played a part in his descent into violence.
Hunnam approached the role with a desire to understand Gein’s humanity. “There was an enormous amount of trepidation and fear initially,” the actor admitted. “And then it was just trying to understand him, trying not to judge him, trying to find the truth and find the man behind the monster.” He described the project as a “human, tender, unflinching” look at who Ed Gein was, focusing more on the person than just his actions.
Co-creator Ian Brennan praised Hunnam’s careful approach, noting the actor wanted to find “the person beneath all this illness.” This focus on Gein’s psychological state is central to the show’s story.
Staying in Character
Hunnam’s commitment was so deep that he chose to stay in character even when the cameras were off. He said this helped him maintain the focus needed for such a demanding role. “Once you’re inside this thing, I would rather just stay inside it than go and have a nice dinner and get drunk at night and then have to find my way back in the next day,” he explained. “It’s just about maintaining this hyper-focus.”
His co-stars noticed the difference. Tyler Jacob Moore, who plays Sheriff Schley, said, “The first day was shocking. It never got easier to deal with him as Ed, because he was Ed when he was on set—the voice, his demeanor. I was just genuinely shocked.”
Saying Goodbye to Ed Gein
After filming ended, Hunnam needed a way to leave the character behind. He found closure by visiting Ed Gein’s grave. There, he told Gein that he “hoped we had told his story honestly” and made it clear that it was time to say goodbye. “I was ready to say goodbye to him and that be the end,” Hunnam said.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is now streaming on Netflix. The series also stars Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein and Suzanna Son as Adeline, Gein’s only friend.
Also Read: Monster: The Ed Gein Story – Did Ed Gein Kill Adeline Watkins?
Credits: Netflix Tudum
