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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
First-Time Nominee Cooper Koch Is 'Devastated' Over Emmy Snubs for Two of His ‘Monsters' Co-Stars
Cooper Koch has landed his first-ever Emmy nomination for his lead role as Erik Menendez in Ryan Murphy's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, but the news is a tad bittersweet for the actor who was hoping to hear the names of his co-stars Ari Graynor and Nicholas Alexander Chavez called along with his as the nominees for the 2025 Emmys were announced Tuesday morning. 'I talked to Ari; I'm devastated that she didn't get it,' Koch tells The Hollywood Reporter. 'That's the one sort of bummer from today that she didn't get it. Same thing with Nicholas. I think both of them really deserved to be on there, so I'm super bummed that they didn't get nominated.' More from The Hollywood Reporter MomTok on Top: 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Earns First Emmy Nomination Bela Bajaria on Which Emmy Nominee She Texted First and One Giant "Disappointment" of a Snub 'The White Lotus' Checks Into the 2025 Emmy Noms With 23, Ties With 'The Studio' Chavez portrayed Lyle Menendez in the Netflix series and Graynor played Erik's lead defense attorney, Leslie Abramson. Despite the snubs for the two stars, Monsters did receive additional nods in the acting categories by way of Chloë Sevigny, who was nominated for best supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for her role as matriarch Mary Louise 'Kitty' Menendez, and Javier Bardem for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Jose Menendez. 'Chloë and I FaceTimed, and she congratulated me, and I congratulated her,' says Koch, who continued to sing the praises of his co-stars. 'I could not have done it without any of them. They were the most wonderful scene partners, and they're such gifted actors. I owe all of my work and the scenes and everything that came out to them.' As he gears up for Emmy campaigning, Koch, 28, says he's hoping for less attention on him and more on the Menendez brothers, who, as a result of renewed public interest in their case stemming from the series, were resentenced to 50 years to life in prison in May, making them now eligible for parole. 'We're still sort of living with what's happening in real time with their case. They go to the parole board on Aug. 21st and Aug. 22nd, so I'm just hoping that I can talk more about and advocate for them,' says Koch. 'I'm like, screw myself. I just want to get them out of prison.' That said, Koch is looking forward to seeing some of the talented actors he's admired from behind the screen in real life on the trail, calling out White Lotus star and fellow first-time Emmy nominee Aimee Lou Wood in particular. 'I love her, and I loved her in White Lotus. I can't wait to give her a giant hug. I feel like I already know her,' he says, also noting Only Murders in the Building and Severance as his other top shows. 'I'm a big Severance fan, and I've just been so impressed with Adam Scott and Britt Lower for both seasons of the show,' he says. 'I'm such huge fans of theirs, and I had such a great chat with Adam at The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable. He's such a wonderful guy and such an amazing talent, so I'm really, really rooting for him.' Nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards were presented by Harvey Guillén and Brenda Song at a ceremony held on Tuesday, July 15. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story received a total of 11 noms, including best limited or anthology series, along with three in the technical categories of picture editing, sound mixing and musical composition, and an additional four nods for best period or fantasy/sci-fi hairstyling and makeup (non-prosthetic), period costumes and casting for a limited or anthology series. The 77th Emmy Awards will be hosted by Nate Bargatze and broadcast live Sunday, Sept. 14, (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. See the full list of nominees here. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Cooper Koch reveals what Lyle Menendez said after ‘Monsters' Emmy nomination
Cooper Koch recently received a congratulatory phone call from incarcerated Lyle Menendez. On Tuesday, the actor, 29, earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his performance as Erik Menendez in Netflix's 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.' After the news hit, Koch's phone rang. Advertisement 9 Cooper Koch. / 'I spoke to Lyle today. He called to send his congrats and was very, very sweet,' the star shared on Entertainment Weekly's 'The Awardist' podcast on Tuesday. 'He was jealous that I was at Wimbledon this weekend. He was just so, so sweet …. and they're doing really well.' Koch also confessed that he was 'so nervous' about the nominations. Advertisement 'It's just a terrible morning,' he admitted. 'You're so anxious and you're just playing that game with yourself, 'You know what? It's OK either way. It's OK. I'm going to die one day and no one's going to remember or care if I had an Emmy nomination or not.'' Despite the jitters, Koch is just grateful to have been a part of the series, which also starred Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle. 9 Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez in the Netflix show. Miles Crist/Netflix '[But the] best part about this whole thing was just getting the opportunity to be a part of this show and tell this story and just embody this person who I just care so deeply about,' Koch explained. Advertisement Javier Bardem was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Chloe Sevigny earned a nod for Supporting Actress for taking on the boys' parents, José and Kitty Menendez. Ryan Murphy's 'Monsters' received a nod for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. 9 Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez and Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection The series premiered on Netflix in September 2024. The show told the story of Lyle and Erik, who murdered their parents in 1989. Advertisement The brothers have said that they killed their mom and dad in self-defense. Erik and Lyle claimed they suffered years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse. 'I was so moved and I believed them immediately. It was then that I found all the similarities and I became quite obsessed with the case and with their story,' Koch told GQ Australia in December 2024. 'I was taping and taping, auditioning and auditioning, for seven years. Then finally you get the one that is supposed to happen.' 9 An image from the Emmy nominated series 'Monsters.' AP This wasn't the first time the actor tried to take on the part of Erik. 'The reason why he's been with me for so long is because I auditioned to play him seven years ago for the 'Law & Order' series and for the Lifetime movie,' Koch recalled. 'I got to the final rounds in both and I ultimately didn't get it. But I felt like I had to play this part,' he shared. 'I got the audition [for Monsters] and I watched the trial videos for the first time.' 9 Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez, right, and Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez in a scene from 'Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story.' AP The Menendez brothers' case has taken quite a turn since they were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to life without parole. Advertisement In May, the judge reduced their sentence to 50 years to life. Now, Erik and Lyle are eligible for parole. Koch supported the brothers at their resentencing hearing. 'I'm so grateful that that happened,' he told Variety at the time. 'And so is Erik, I spoke to him yesterday and he is so excited.' 9 Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch. FilmMagic Koch detailed 'the most inspiring' thing he heard Erik say after the re-sentencing. Advertisement 'He is going to be an advocate for other people who have L.W.O.P, which is life without parole,' Koch explained, adding that the Beverly Hills native hopes to make 'a lot of change' in the prison system. 'His life is going to surround making change in the prison system, and I just think that is so beautiful.' In June, true crime expert Ana Garcia weighed in on whether 'Monsters' played a part in the brothers' new prison sentence. 9 Erik Menendez (L) and his brother Lyle during a pre-trial hearing. AFP via Getty Images 'I do believe that the show had an impact,' the journalist told The Post. 'I also believe the documentary did. I also believe that Kim Kardashian writing her essay about why she believed that we should judge them based on how we all now view the kind of sexual abuse they say that they experienced. I think there has been a groundswell of support to have their case re-examined based on how we now understand victims of crime. Meaning they were victims here.' Advertisement Although the 'True Crime News' podcast host isn't sure the resentencing is deserved. 'But as I've said before to you, if every child who was abused killed their parents, we'd have a lot of dead parents. What I ask myself over and over again – this was clearly premeditated. They had so many opportunities not to kill their parents. Yet they went through with this plan, and then it was the cover-up afterwards.' 9 The Menendez brothers' mug shot. AP Along with a strong support system from around the country, Lyle and Erik also have their family members standing by them. Joan VanderMolen, Kitty's sister, has fought for their freedom along with Terry Baralt, José's only living sister. Advertisement 'I hear the Menendez family speaking loudly and clearly to every judge who will listen to them, every prosecutor who will listen to them,' Garcia shared, 'that they believe Lyle and Erik have already served enough time. Is that enough for a murder? For some cases, it is.' Although the siblings have served over 30 years behind bars, Garcia posed the question weighing on the public's mind: 'Have they served enough time for their murders?' 9 Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle, are led into the courtroom in 1990. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Lyle and Erik's parole board hearing was originally scheduled for June 13 but was pushed back to August 21 and August 22. 'One of the brothers actually said on Facebook that they thought it was a good idea,' Garcia added, 'because it gives them more time to prepare, more time for the defense, their attorneys to present because a lot is going to happen at this parole hearing.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lyle Menendez's stunning reaction to Emmy nomination for actor who played Erik on Netflix series
Lyle Menendez called up actor Cooper Koch, who just played his brother Erik Menendez, to congratulate him on his Emmy nomination for the role. The accolade came for the anthology series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which was co-created by Ryan Murphy and bowed on Netflix last September. Erik and Lyle, the wealthy brothers at the center of the story, are still in prison for having murdered their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989. At trial, prosecutors argued that Jose and Kitty were killed for their money while the defense relied heavily on what was then called the 'abuse excuse,' claiming Lyle and Erik had been molested and physically assaulted by their parents for years. A judge reduced the brothers' sentences earlier this year, rendering them eligible for parole, and their hearing is scheduled to take place this August. Now Cooper has shared that when news broke of his Emmy nomination Tuesday, Lyle phoned him from behind bars to share his reaction, via The Awardist podcast. 'I spoke with Lyle today. He called to send his congrats and was very, very sweet, and he was jealous that I was at Wimbledon this weekend,' said the actor. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has received 11 Emmy nods, including for Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny's performances as Jose and Kitty. Cooper has described his show as 'sort of like the end of an era' for the case, 'and what a great way to kind of put it to bed, and hopefully that will also go with the brothers getting released by the end of the summer.' The Menendez brothers were due to face a parole board on June 13, but in May that hearing was pushed back to August 21 and 22. The latest setback delays any possibility of freedom by at least nine weeks, after already spending 35 years behind bars for murdering both of their parents. The brothers appeared in Los Angeles County Superior Court last Tuesday, where Judge Michael Jesic reduced their sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life. The change means they're eligible to apply for parole under California 's youthful offender law because they committed the crime under the age of 26. But the June 13 date was already scheduled as a separate pathway to freedom. Governor Gavin Newsom was due to reveal whether he would consider clemency for the brothers. The brothers were ordered in 1996 to spend the rest of their lives in prison for fatally shooting their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not give a reason for delaying the hearing. Newsom has the authority to grant immediate clemency to the brothers at any time, but securing parole could be a months or years-long process. The brothers were ordered in 1996 to spend the rest of their lives in prison for fatally shooting their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. The brothers were 18 and 21 at the time of the killings. Defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, while prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance. 'I'm not saying they should be released, it's not for me to decide,' Jesic said. 'I do believe they've done enough in the past 35 years, that they should get that chance.' The brothers are broadly supported by their relatives, many of whom testified on their behalf during court proceedings. One said the duo had been 'universally forgiven by the family' for their actions. 'Today, 35 years later, I am deeply ashamed of who I was,' Lyle told the court. 'I killed my mom and dad. I make no excuses and also no justification. The impact of my violent actions on my family... is unfathomable.' The defense began by calling Ana Maria Baralt, a cousin of Erik and Lyle, who testified that the brothers have repeatedly expressed remorse for their actions. 'We all, on both sides of the family, believe that 35 years is enough,' Baralt said. 'They are universally forgiven by our family.' Diane Hernandez, who also testified during Erik and Lyle's first trial, spoke about the abuse she witnessed in the Menendez household when she lived with them and the so-called 'hallway rule.' 'When Jose was with one of the boys … you couldn't even go up the stairs to be on the same floor,' Hernandez said of the father. The previous LA County District Attorney George Gascón had opened the door to possible freedom for the brothers last fall by asking a judge to reduce their sentences. Gascón's office said the case would've been handled differently today due to modern understandings of sexual abuse and trauma, and the brothers' rehabilitation over three decades in prison. A resentencing petition laid out by Gascón focuses on the brothers' accomplishments and rehabilitation. Since their conviction, the brothers have received an education, participated in self-help classes and started various support groups for their fellow inmates. But current district attorney Nathan Hochman said he believes the brothers are not ready for resentencing because 'they have not come clean' about their crimes. His office also has said it does not believe they were sexually abused. 'Our position is not "no," it's not "never," it's "not yet,"' Hochman said. 'They have not fully accepted responsibility for all their criminal conduct.' On August 20, 1989, armed with two shotguns, the brothers shot both parents to death as they watched a movie at their Beverly Hills mansion. Their trial prompted worldwide headlines. Prosecutors said their motive was greed, as they stood to inherit $14 million from their parents. The brothers insisted they acted against a father who sexually abused them for years and a mother who turned a blind eye to the abuse. The first trial ended with a hung jury. But at a second trial in 1996 - where the judge refused to allow any evidence about the brothers being molested by their father - they were convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. New interest in the case was sparked by the recent Netflix drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and the true crime documentary The Menendez Brothers. Both films explain how the brothers claimed to police that they returned home from the theater to find their parents had been slaughtered. At first it was feared that a vicious killer was on the loose in Beverly Hills, one of America's wealthiest communities. But cops switched their suspicions to Lyle and Erik after they set about spending their inheritance soon after their parents' deaths. Lyle bought a Porsche Carrera, Rolex watch and two restaurants, while his brother hired a full-time tennis coach to begin competing in tournaments. In all, they spent $700,000 between the time of their parents' deaths and their arrests in March 1990, seven months after the murders. Erik - who said his father abused him from the age of six to 12 - insisted in the new documentary that it's 'absurd' to suggest he was having a good time in the immediate aftermath of the murders. 'Everything was to cover up this horrible pain of not wanting to be alive,' he said. 'One of the things that stopped me from killing myself was that I would be a complete failure to my dad.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story' Star Cooper Koch On First Emmy Nom & Having An Effect On Events In 'Real-Time Before Our Eyes'
It's shaping up to be quite a good week for Cooper Koch, who just received his first Emmy nomination this morning for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series. Not only is he ecstatic about the news, the nomination came as a bit of an early present for him. 'Today's the greatest day and it's my birthday tomorrow,' says Koch. 'That's the best birthday present in the entire world.' Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story is the second season of Ryan Murphy's Monster anthology series for Netflix, centering on the 1989 murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny), who were killed by their sons Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Koch). The season was nominated for 11 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. More from Deadline New Emmy Nominee Shawn Hatosy Reflects On His Biggest Career Roles, Says His 'The Pitt' Character "Was Easy To Fall In Love With" Jenny Slate On Emotional Journey To First Emmy Nomination For 'Dying For Sex': "I Knew Enough About Myself To Let It All Go" Emmy On-Screen Diversity Takes A Hit With Acting & Hosting Nominations Down 18% From 2024 The role was a 'dream come true' for Koch, as someone who was invested in the ongoing case. 'I found out about the story when I was auditioning for the Law & Order series and the Lifetime movie back in 2017,' he says. 'Since then, I've always had this deep care and passion for the brothers and sort of believing their side of the story.' A chance to show that care and passion came about with the fifth episode of the season, 'The Hurt Man' – a one-shot episode where Erik speaks about the abuse he suffered from his parents as a child. 'It's such a testament to Ian Brennan's work on writing the script,' says Koch. 'He really captured the way that both Erik and Leslie (Ari Graynor) sound and behave, and just the entire circumference of what it means to have experienced a form of sexual abuse… I don't know if I will ever get a script that is better than that, and I don't know if I'll ever do work that I feel as passionate about or proud of.' Something that makes the recognition even more meaningful for Koch is that the actual Menendez brothers are still in the midst of trials. 'For the past year, this is still something that's happening live, and in real-time before our eyes,' he says. 'If I, or the show and everybody who worked on the show, has had anything to do to sort of move the needle and impact the real-life events that are happening in front of our eyes, then that just means the world… If I had the ability to change the outcome of someone's life for the better, there's nothing better than that.' Of course, there's no rest for Koch who is already gearing up for Luca Guadagnino's AI-themed film Artificial. 'I'm going to be shooting that in August, and I have a couple of plays that I've been circulating that are still sort of in early development,' he says. 'But the thing I'm going to do next is Artificial.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Amazon's 'Verity' Movie So Far 'Street Fighter' Cast: Who's Who In The Live-Action Arcade Film Adaption 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story' Star Cooper Koch On First Emmy Nom & Having An Effect On Events In 'Real-Time Before Our Eyes'
It's shaping up to be quite a good week for Cooper Koch, who just received his first Emmy nomination this morning for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series. Not only is he ecstatic about the news, the nomination came as a bit of an early present for him. 'Today's the greatest day and it's my birthday tomorrow,' says Koch. 'That's the best birthday present in the entire world.' Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story is the second season of Ryan Murphy's Monster anthology series for Netflix, centering on the 1989 murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny), who were killed by their sons Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Koch). The season was nominated for 11 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. More from Deadline New Emmy Nominee Shawn Hatosy Reflects On His Biggest Career Roles, Says His 'The Pitt' Character "Was Easy To Fall In Love With" Jenny Slate On Emotional Journey To First Emmy Nomination For 'Dying For Sex': "I Knew Enough About Myself To Let It All Go" Emmy On-Screen Diversity Takes A Hit With Acting & Hosting Nominations Down 18% From 2024 The role was a 'dream come true' for Koch, as someone who was invested in the ongoing case. 'I found out about the story when I was auditioning for the Law & Order series and the Lifetime movie back in 2017,' he says. 'Since then, I've always had this deep care and passion for the brothers and sort of believing their side of the story.' A chance to show that care and passion came about with the fifth episode of the season, 'The Hurt Man' – a one-shot episode where Erik speaks about the abuse he suffered from his parents as a child. 'It's such a testament to Ian Brennan's work on writing the script,' says Koch. 'He really captured the way that both Erik and Leslie (Ari Graynor) sound and behave, and just the entire circumference of what it means to have experienced a form of sexual abuse… I don't know if I will ever get a script that is better than that, and I don't know if I'll ever do work that I feel as passionate about or proud of.' Something that makes the recognition even more meaningful for Koch is that the actual Menendez brothers are still in the midst of trials. 'For the past year, this is still something that's happening live, and in real-time before our eyes,' he says. 'If I, or the show and everybody who worked on the show, has had anything to do to sort of move the needle and impact the real-life events that are happening in front of our eyes, then that just means the world… If I had the ability to change the outcome of someone's life for the better, there's nothing better than that.' Of course, there's no rest for Koch who is already gearing up for Luca Guadagnino's AI-themed film Artificial. 'I'm going to be shooting that in August, and I have a couple of plays that I've been circulating that are still sort of in early development,' he says. 'But the thing I'm going to do next is Artificial.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Amazon's 'Verity' Movie So Far 'Street Fighter' Cast: Who's Who In The Live-Action Arcade Film Adaption 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More
