Chloë Sevigny’s Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie recognizes her harrowing turn as Kitty Menendez in Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” It adds to a career defined by bold choices, from her Academy Award–nominated role in “Boys Don’t Cry” to her Golden Globe–winning performance on HBO’s “Big Love.” Sevigny has built her reputation on playing complicated women, and Kitty may be one of her most layered yet.
Murphy’s follow-up to “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” drew strong viewership and sparked a new wave of conversation around the Menendez case. With Javier Bardem as José Menendez, Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez, Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez, and Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson, the ensemble brought weight to a story many had previously dismissed as tabloid fodder. Critics responded to Murphy’s decision to reframe the narrative with more nuance, and the series landed eleven Emmy nominations, marking another win for his storytelling empire.
Growing up, I only knew the Menendez brothers as two spoiled rich kids who killed their parents. I never questioned whether their home life played a role in what they became, or whether Kitty Menendez herself was complicit in the toxic environment. This series challenged that perception. Kitty emerges as both a mother and a woman undone by depression and alcohol, torn between resentment and responsibility. Sevigny leans into that tension, refusing to let her be defined by a single label.
Her Emmy-submitted episode, “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” is one of the series’ most haunting hour. Told from Kitty’s perspective, it asks Sevigny to capture the volatility and despair that defined her. There are scenes where she lashes out at her children and others where she sinks into quiet devastation. It’s a demanding showcase, and Sevigny delivers a performance that is at once unsettling and strangely empathetic.
“I just tried to give her a modicum of decency and respect, and ground her in some way,” Sevigny told Awards Focus. She spoke of Kitty as “flailing a lot,” and admitted to the challenge of portraying a mother openly disillusioned with motherhood. That honesty, and her willingness to expose Kitty’s darkest moments, is what makes the performance so affecting.
Chloë Sevigny spoke to Awards Focus about finding her way into Kitty Menendez, the responsibility of revisiting a story still echoing in the real world, and what it meant to take on one of the most demanding roles of her career.
Awards Focus: What drew you to portraying Kitty Menendez, a controversial figure within an already controversial story, beyond your long-standing trust in Ryan Murphy?
Chloë Sevigny: Well, I think it was more like, yes, Ryan in general and the kinds of shows he makes, especially in the “Monster” series and the ones that touch more on social commentary. When he first pitched the show to me, he said there will be this one episode. I think he was referring to episode six, where you’ll get to do a lot of things as an actress. Things I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do before, but I think are in you, and that you’re capable of. He said you’ll be able to stretch and do some wild things that will be scary and appealing. That, of course, piqued my interest.
And it came to be true that a lot of it was really difficult. But I wanted to serve the story we were telling with sensitivity and grounding. It was a real challenge, especially with all the episodes being from a different perspective. Having to shift versions of this one character was something I’d never done before. I don’t think many actors get to do that within one project. Even though we play varied characters, like Nikki on “Big Love.” She had a lot of colors to her. She was very complicated, funny, tragic, manipulative, and human. Over many seasons, all of that gets to be exposed. With Kitty, there was a condensed version of that across the eight episodes.
AF: You’ve never shied away from unconventional or dark material. Was there anything about this role that gave you pause?
Sevigny: Anything around abuse with children is, to me, the darkest of the dark. I remember reading the scripts and crying uncontrollably, being really disturbed. But I thought, even though this is taboo subject matter, maybe the show could demystify it. Not normalize, but make it something people might feel more comfortable reaching out for help about.
This could be one of the biggest shows ever, with people all over the world watching. Hopefully it can empower people struggling in cycles of abuse, which are rampant within households globally. I had talked a lot about Latin American cultures and this kind of masculinity that in America, or at least in some West Coast elite environments, is being questioned. But I think 99% of the world still leans on that. So it was interesting to examine.
Also, to play a mother who’s unhappy as a mother is not something you see much on television or in movies. To hear a mother voice things like, “These children ravaged my body. They stole my husband. They stole my life.” I think a lot of women feel that way and don’t express it. Having the opportunity to play someone who was so vocal and definitive about how she felt was something you don’t see a lot.
AF: You’re also a mother to a young child yourself. Did stepping into this role and digging into such material cause you to reflect more on your own future as a parent?
Sevigny: A little bit. One always hopes to have a good relationship with one’s child, to stay friendly with him. We talk about it sometimes. I have friends with really good relationships with their adult children, and I have a good relationship with my own mother.
But I remember as a teenager, the worst thing was when she would yell back at me. That chilled me to the bone. There are moments when Kitty does that and the kids laugh at her, but I think it resonates. I just hope to maintain respect and closeness with my son. Of course, some of it is his personality. Nature versus nurture, and nature often wins. You can nurture as much as you want, but we’ll see who he turns out to be.
AF: You talked about the nuanced character that Kitty Menendez is. How did you ultimately locate who Kitty is on an emotional level? To my knowledge, there isn’t much public footage. How did you base the character and ultimately get into the mindset you needed to play her?
Sevigny: I read a book about the story, and there’s a chapter on Kitty and her childhood. I had to imagine her like a character in a work of fiction because there wasn’t much material. A few photographs, but not much else.
From her story, I knew she and José [Menendez] met in school and were sweethearts. She came from a household with abuse. Her mother left her father, so she was fatherless. She wanted to be a journalist, then married young and had children. I tried to pattern her out in my own mind, and then serve the scripts and what each one was saying in those intense scenes.
Of course, I had Javier [Bardem] to lean on. He was a great scene partner and made it easy to imagine them together. I think we’ve read stories of women whose husbands cheat. Kitty was suffering. She was an alcoholic, and I’ve known alcoholism very close. She suffered from depression. She was a poor woman not doing well. I just tried to give her a modicum of decency and respect, and ground her in some way. It was hard because she was flailing a lot.
AF: I remember the Menendez story only vaguely as it was happening and the spotlight seemed as it was always on the boys. Revisiting the story through this project, what is your view of Kitty as a character? In some ways, do you think the title “Monsters” could apply more to the parents than the boys?
Sevigny: I think that was the intention of the show. Is it the media? Is it the boys? Is it the parents? I think that when you grow up with abuse or in the cycle of abuse, it’s very hard to break those patterns. And I think that she was complicit. She should have packed up those boys and left home, or she should have protected her children as resentful as she was of them, especially if it started from a young age. It’s unforgivable.
Does it warrant murder? Not in my mind necessarily. But I think as a mother, it was her responsibility to protect her children, and I don’t think she did. The abuse, even though we don’t know for sure, seems convincing. I believe they were abused by the father.
AF: The material is so heavy. Playing Kitty meant living inside a lot of trauma. How did you decompress or take care of yourself during filming?
Sevigny: Honestly, when we were shooting in L.A., I was just happy to be there. I was seeing friends, going out to eat, thrilled to be shooting at home since I live in New York. When we were in Yonkers, it was less fun, no social life. You just have to find joy where you can and try not to take it home.
AF: That makes sense. Did you feel a responsibility, given how sensitive the subject matter is, to protect the people whose lives are still impacted by the Menendez story?
Sevigny: Definitely. Ryan is really sensitive to that as well. There was a lot of conversation about it. We always tried to be respectful, and that was top of mind.
AF: You mentioned Javier [Bardem] earlier. What was it like collaborating with him and building that onscreen relationship?
Sevigny: He’s so good, so talented. When we met, I think we were both nervous because of the intimacy between this couple. To jump right in with someone like that is nerve-wracking. But he’s generous, emotional, and really wanted to serve the story. He was a dream.
AF: I want to circle back and say congratulations on your Emmy nomination. What has that recognition meant to you, especially for a show that’s so heavy and not the typical water cooler fare?
Sevigny: It means a lot. I’ve been working in television for more than 20 years, since “Big Love.” I feel really blessed and lucky. I’m also a very hard worker. I’ve been trying to maintain my career in shows that are seen and have appeal. I’m conscious of where I am in the business, and I just want to keep working. Work begets work, as they say.
I’ve been consistently working since I started 30 years ago, and I’m happy to still be working. This nomination could give me more opportunities to play interesting parts. I’m grateful. It also validates Ryan’s choice in casting me. He goes out on a limb for people and really believes in actors. So the fact that I was recognized helps that relationship. It makes me feel good that he gets validated in a way too.
AF: Finally, looking ahead, how do you feel this project fits into your larger body of work and the kinds of roles you seek out?
Sevigny: I’ve always tried to pick things that are interesting, challenging, or that have something to say. This one definitely did. It was scary because it was such a big responsibility. I just hope to keep working and doing things that matter, that resonate with people.