The new season of the acclaimed anthology by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, dedicated to America’s most notorious criminals, has once again captured viewers’ attention. This time, the plot centers on the grim figure of Ed Gein, with the leading role played by 45-year-old British actor Charlie Hunnam, well known to many from the cult series ‘Sons of Anarchy.’ This project became a real challenge for him, forcing him to delve into the darkest corners of the human psyche.
Eddie Gein led a reclusive life on his dilapidated farm, behind whose walls hid a real house of horrors, whose gruesome notoriety forever changed the idea of the American nightmare. To authentically portray this character, Hunnam had to undertake immense work. One of the most difficult tasks was recreating Gein’s voice—childlike, weak, and broken. The actor began searching for rare audio recordings and eventually gained access to a 70-minute interview, which became his main point of reference. This recording, practically inaccessible to the rest of the crew, allowed him to grasp the unique timbre shaped by a domineering mother and to develop an anxious, unnatural manner of movement.
The creators of the series, including director Max Winkler, chose not to simply retell the bloody events. The new season explores the cultural impact of Gein’s story. His crimes had a profound influence on global culture, inspiring iconic works such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The series demonstrates how real-life horror was transformed into popular plots that have frightened generations.
Hunnam himself admitted that working on the project pushed him to the limits of his creative and emotional abilities. He said that when he first began studying materials about his character, he was genuinely unsettled. This experience led him not just to portray a maniac, but to try to find traces of the ‘human’ in this monster and understand the motives that led to the tragedy. After a lull in his career and an absence from major Hollywood productions, this role became a risky gamble for the actor, where every detail—from intonation to body control—was crucial for creating dramatic tension.
Given Ryan Murphy’s reputation, as the creator of hits like American Horror Story and Hollywood, along with tremendous interest in previous anthology installments, the new chapter has every chance for resounding success. The series has been available to watch on Netflix since October 3, and discussions about it are sure to continue for a long time.
