MENENDEZ BROTHERS: Javier Bardem talks about José Menéndez: “Important to remember he was human being”
The miniseries “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” has remained among the most-watched content on Netflix in recent weeks. Since its debut on September 19, it has become a primary topic of discussion among TV fans. Created by Ryan Murphy, the series portrays a complex and disturbing family story, appealing to true crime enthusiasts. Javier Bardem plays José Menéndez, a Cuban-born father murdered by his sons in 1989. The brutal murder is the series’ focal point, exploring the reasons and events that led Erik and Lyle Menendez to kill their parents. Unexpectedly, the final scene between José and Kitty Menéndez (played by Chloë Sevigny) is a peaceful conversation on a boat, filled with hope and dreams for the future. In a recent interview, Bardem explained this scene: “They can’t be justified, but they are human”.
While promoting the series, Bardem spoke to Collider about how everything José does and says is influenced by the traumas and experiences of his childhood. According to him, José embodies the traditional concept of a “real man”: someone who shows no emotions, suppresses feelings, and maintains a strict demeanor with others: “I think it’s about making the audience, after witnessing so many painful parts of this marriage – involving trauma, pain, lack of affection, abuse – remember that they were human beings, who at some point loved each other and tried, in their own way, to deal with their own issues and personal traumas”, Bardem said.
“It’s not about justifying or absolving any terrible act, not at all. But it’s important to remember they were human beings, and that is the main point of the series: monsters are people”, he continued. “Seeing this perspective of the marriage leaves you impacted, not to pity them, but to understand that everything about this was wrong. Wrong in what they did and wrong in what was done to them”.
Murphy’s series seeks to present the facts about the Menéndez family’s life without taking sides. The most well-known version is that the brothers killed their parents to inherit a fortune, but they confessed to having done so after years of verbal and sexual abuse. José Menéndez allegedly sexually abused the sons on multiple occasions, while their mother, Kitty, allegedly ignored what was happening.
To Bardem, José is “a man marked by family trauma and his upbringing. This legacy had a devastating impact on his own children.” If you want to learn more about the case or form your own opinion, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” is available in the Netflix catalog.
