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'Let's Play the Game': Netflix's Monsters Star Javier Bardem Reveals the Piece of Advice He Gave to His Co-Stars Before Filming
The Oscar winner advised his young co-stars to separate themselves from the dark characters they portrayed in The Menendez Brothers Story.
Javier Bardem, known for his intense roles, recently shared the thoughtful advice he gave his co-stars on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Bardem urged the young actors portraying the infamous Menendez brothers to avoid letting the heaviness of their characters seep into their personal lives.
In Monsters, Bardem plays José Menendez, the abusive father of Lyle and Erik Menendez, whose tragic story ends with their 1989 murders of both parents. His co-stars, Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch, took on the emotionally demanding roles of the Menendez brothers.
Before filming began, Bardem reminded his co-stars to maintain a clear boundary between fiction and reality. “I told them, ‘Let’s remind ourselves that we are loved and have families that care for us,’” Bardem said. He emphasized the importance of seeing their work as a game. “This story demands a lot from us as actors, but we need to remember it’s fiction. Don’t let it get personal.”
Bardem also clarified that any intense moments on set should be understood as part of the performance, not a reflection of their real relationships. “I told them, ‘This is José, Kitty, Erik, and Lyle. It’s not us. Let’s keep it that way.’”
Bardem and his co-stars chose not to contact the real Menendez brothers or their family before or during filming. Bardem admitted he was reluctant to meet them, saying, “I felt the material was sensitive enough. Everything I needed to understand about José was already in the writing.”
Bardem’s approach to balancing challenging roles with emotional health highlights his thoughtful leadership on set. His guidance ensured that the darkness of Monsters didn’t overshadow the lives of his co-stars. As Bardem himself said, “At the end of the day, it’s a story we tell—but we need to remember to come back to who we are.”
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