The cast of Monster: The Ed Gein Story brings together Charlie Hunnam, Laurie Metcalf, Tom Hollander, Suzanna Son, Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams and several other recognizable performers for the third season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology.
At the center of the Netflix true-crime drama is Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein, the Wisconsin murderer and grave robber whose crimes became part of the inspiration behind some of Hollywood’s most famous fictional killers. The eight-episode season also looks beyond Gein himself, exploring his relationship with his mother, the people connected to his crimes and the disturbing influence his story had on popular horror.
What makes the Monster: The Ed Gein Story cast particularly interesting is that it isn’t simply a lineup of actors playing people from Gein’s life. The season also includes performers portraying major figures from the history of horror cinema, including Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville, reflecting the show’s interest in how Gein’s crimes influenced movies such as Psycho.
Who Is in the Cast of Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
The principal Monster: The Ed Gein Story cast includes:
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Charlie Hunnam | Ed Gein |
| Laurie Metcalf | Augusta Gein |
| Suzanna Son | Adeline Watkins |
| Tom Hollander | Alfred Hitchcock |
| Vicky Krieps | Ilse Koch |
| Olivia Williams | Alma Reville |
| Lesley Manville | Bernice Worden |
| Joey Pollari | Anthony Perkins |
| Charlie Hall | Deputy Worden |
| Tyler Jacob Moore | Sheriff Schley |
| Will Brill | Tobe Hooper |
| Mimi Kennedy | Dr. Mildred Newman |
| Robin Weigert | Enid Watkins |
| Addison Rae | Evelyn |
Netflix’s official cast information confirms the principal lineup, while Netflix Tudum provides the character details and additional supporting cast information.
Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein
Charlie Hunnam leads Monster: The Ed Gein Story as Ed Gein, the notorious Wisconsin murderer and grave robber at the center of the season.
Gein lived in rural Plainfield, Wisconsin, and became infamous for crimes that were later associated with some of the most influential horror stories and characters in popular culture. Netflix describes the series as an examination of how Gein became a figure whose legacy extended far beyond the crimes themselves.
Hunnam is particularly well known for playing Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy, a role that established him as a major television star. His film credits include Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, The Lost City of Z and Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire.
For Hunnam, the role represents a significant departure from the heroic and antiheroic characters that have defined much of his career.
Where You’ve Seen Charlie Hunnam Before
- Sons of Anarchy
- Pacific Rim
- Crimson Peak
- The Lost City of Z
- Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
- King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Netflix’s Tudum notes that Hunnam was the actor Ryan Murphy had specifically wanted for the role of Gein.
Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein
Laurie Metcalf plays Augusta Gein, Ed’s domineering mother.
Augusta is one of the most important figures in the series because of the complicated relationship between mother and son. The show explores how her influence shaped Ed’s isolated worldview and contributed to the psychological story surrounding his later crimes.
Metcalf brings considerable dramatic experience to the role. She has earned widespread acclaim for performances in television, film and theater, including Roseanne, Lady Bird, Scream 2 and JFK.
Her casting is particularly significant because Augusta is not treated as a peripheral character. She is central to the show’s attempt to explore the environment in which Ed Gein developed.
Suzanna Son as Adeline Watkins
Suzanna Son plays Adeline Watkins, a character who becomes increasingly important as the story develops.
Son is known for her performances in Red Rocket, The Idol and Fear Street: Prom Queen. Netflix identifies Adeline as one of the key characters in the season, with the story increasingly shifting toward her as the investigation unfolds.
Her presence gives the series another perspective beyond Gein and his family, helping broaden the narrative beyond a straightforward serial-killer biography.
Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock
One of the more surprising names in the Monster: The Ed Gein Story cast is Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock.
Hitchcock was one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history, and his connection to the Gein story comes through Psycho. Hitchcock’s 1960 classic was inspired in part by the disturbing story of Gein, although Norman Bates is a fictional character rather than a direct portrayal of Gein.
The casting of Hollander allows the series to explore a broader question: How did a real-life criminal become an influence on modern horror?
Hollander’s previous credits include Pride & Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, About Time, In the Loop and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.
Olivia Williams as Alma Reville
Olivia Williams plays Alma Reville, Alfred Hitchcock’s wife and a respected screenwriter and film editor.
Reville worked closely with Hitchcock throughout his career and contributed to several of his films. Netflix notes that her credits include work on Shadow of a Doubt, Suspicion and The Lady Vanishes.
Williams has appeared in films including The Sixth Sense, Rushmore, An Education, The Father and The Crown.
Her inclusion helps the series expand its story from the crimes of Ed Gein into the cultural legacy those crimes eventually created.
Vicky Krieps as Ilse Koch
Vicky Krieps plays Ilse Koch, a historical figure who appears in Gein’s fantasies.
Koch was a German Nazi concentration-camp figure who became infamous during World War II. Netflix’s character guide explains that the series uses Koch as part of the disturbing influences connected to Gein’s imagination rather than presenting her as a conventional member of his real-life social circle.
Krieps is known internationally for Phantom Thread, Old, Bergman Island, Corsage and A Most Wanted Man.
Lesley Manville as Bernice Worden
Lesley Manville plays Bernice Worden, a real-life figure whose disappearance became central to the investigation into Gein.
Manville is one of Britain’s most respected screen and stage performers, with credits including Another Year, Phantom Thread and The Crown.
Her role is important to the investigative side of the series because the discovery surrounding Worden’s disappearance helped expose the reality of what was happening at the Gein farmhouse.
Joey Pollari as Anthony Perkins
Joey Pollari plays Anthony Perkins, the actor best known for portraying Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.
This casting choice reinforces one of the season’s major themes: the relationship between the real Ed Gein case and the fictional horror characters that followed.
Pollari has previously appeared in American Crime and Love, Simon. Netflix includes him among the principal cast of the season.
Charlie Hall as Deputy Worden
Charlie Hall plays Deputy Worden, another character connected to the investigation surrounding Gein.
Hall has appeared in projects including Bel-Air and The Sex Lives of College Girls. His role gives the series another connection to the law-enforcement side of the story.
Tyler Jacob Moore as Sheriff Schley
Tyler Jacob Moore plays Sheriff Schley, one of the law-enforcement figures involved in the investigation.
Moore is known for Shameless and Perry Mason. His performance contributes to the procedural side of the season as authorities begin piecing together the disturbing evidence surrounding Gein.
Netflix lists Moore among the show’s principal cast.
Will Brill as Tobe Hooper
Will Brill plays filmmaker Tobe Hooper, the director associated with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Hooper’s inclusion is another example of how the season goes beyond Gein’s biography. His appearance connects the character to the long-running discussion about Gein’s influence on horror cinema.
Netflix’s Tudum cast announcement confirms Brill’s role as Hooper.
Mimi Kennedy as Dr. Mildred Newman
Mimi Kennedy plays Dr. Mildred Newman, adding another perspective to the psychological and investigative elements of the story.
Kennedy is a veteran performer with credits including Midnight in Paris and In the Loop.
Robin Weigert as Enid Watkins
Robin Weigert plays Enid Watkins, connected to Adeline Watkins and the wider story surrounding Gein.
Weigert is best known for Deadwood, Big Little Lies and Smile. Her role is part of the season’s broader ensemble rather than simply serving as background to Hunnam’s lead performance.
Addison Rae as Evelyn
Addison Rae plays Evelyn, a babysitter who becomes part of the disturbing story.
Rae’s casting generated particular attention because she comes from a social-media and pop-culture background before expanding into acting. Netflix’s trailer coverage specifically highlighted her casting and her scenes opposite Hunnam’s Gein.
She previously appeared in He’s All That and Thanksgiving.
Her involvement is another example of Monster mixing established dramatic performers with newer screen talent.
Why Is the Monster: The Ed Gein Story Cast So Important?
The casting strategy is one of the season’s strongest elements.
Charlie Hunnam gives the series a recognizable lead capable of carrying a psychologically demanding role, while Laurie Metcalf provides the dramatic weight needed for Augusta Gein.
Then the series expands outward.
Tom Hollander and Olivia Williams portray Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville, while Joey Pollari appears as Anthony Perkins and Will Brill plays Tobe Hooper.
Those choices aren’t random.
They allow Monster: The Ed Gein Story to examine not only who Ed Gein was, but also how his crimes became part of the DNA of modern horror cinema. Netflix specifically describes Gein’s story as an influence on works including Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.
Is Monster: The Ed Gein Story Based on a True Story?
Yes. The third season of Monster is inspired by the real life of Ed Gein, who lived in Plainfield, Wisconsin, and was active there from the late 1940s through the 1950s.
However, viewers should remember that this is a dramatic retelling, not a documentary.
The series uses real historical figures and events but also dramatizes conversations, relationships and internal experiences that cannot be known with complete certainty.
Netflix describes the season as a true-life story while also emphasizing its exploration of Gein’s cultural legacy.
Who Plays Ed Gein in Monster?
Charlie Hunnam plays Ed Gein. The casting was announced as a central part of the third season, with Ryan Murphy specifically choosing Hunnam for the role. For Hunnam, the performance is a major change from his most recognizable work as Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy.
Where Can You Watch Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream on Netflix.
The season contains eight episodes and is classified by Netflix as a drama, crime and horror series based on real life.
Watch Monster: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix
Final Thoughts on the Monster: The Ed Gein Story Cast
The cast of Monster: The Ed Gein Story is much more than Charlie Hunnam’s transformation into Ed Gein.
Hunnam anchors the season, but Laurie Metcalf’s Augusta Gein gives the story its complicated family dynamic, while Suzanna Son’s Adeline Watkins and Lesley Manville’s Bernice Worden add important perspectives to Gein’s story.
The most intriguing casting choices may be the actors playing figures from Hollywood history. Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock, Olivia Williams as Alma Reville, Joey Pollari as Anthony Perkins and Will Brill as Tobe Hooper allow the season to explore the disturbing path from a real Wisconsin crime story to some of the most enduring horror imagery in cinema.
That makes this season different from a straightforward serial-killer drama. Monster: The Ed Gein Story is interested not only in the man, but also in the cultural monster his story helped create.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is in the cast of Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
The main cast includes Charlie Hunnam, Laurie Metcalf, Suzanna Son, Tom Hollander, Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Lesley Manville, Joey Pollari, Charlie Hall and Tyler Jacob Moore, with additional performers including Will Brill, Mimi Kennedy, Robin Weigert and Addison Rae.
2. Who plays Ed Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
Charlie Hunnam plays Ed Gein.
3. Who plays Augusta Gein?
Laurie Metcalf plays Augusta Gein, Ed Gein’s mother.
5. Who plays Alfred Hitchcock in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
Tom Hollander portrays Alfred Hitchcock.
6. Who plays Alma Reville?
Olivia Williams plays Alma Reville, Alfred Hitchcock’s wife and creative collaborator.
7. Who plays Anthony Perkins?
Joey Pollari portrays Anthony Perkins, the actor who played Norman Bates in Psycho.
8. Who plays Tobe Hooper?
Will Brill plays filmmaker Tobe Hooper.
9. Is Addison Rae in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
Yes. Addison Rae plays Evelyn, a babysitter featured in the season. Netflix highlighted her casting in the show’s trailer coverage.
10. How many episodes are in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?
The season has eight episodes.
11. Is Monster: The Ed Gein Story a true story?
Yes. The season is inspired by the real-life story of Ed Gein, although, like other dramatized true-crime productions, it includes fictionalized or dramatized elements.
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