Monster: The Ed Gein Story - How did Charlie Hunnam manage to get the voice of a serial killer right? Details revealed

Monster: The Ed Gein Story came to Netflix on October 3, marking the third season in Ryan Murphy’s crime anthology.

Like the earlier chapters, it turns back to real names that left indelible marks on American culture. This time, the lens is on Ed Gein, a murderer and grave robber who was the inspiration for characters like Norman Bates in Psycho, Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.

What pulls attention in the new season is not just the darkness of the crimes but the acting. Charlie Hunnam, best known from Sons of Anarchy, steps in with a portrayal that feels unsettling. His voice modulation and mannerisms translate into a memorable performance.

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Preparing for the role

According to Collider, Hunnam approached the role with deep research. He studied Ed Gein’s life, traveled to Wisconsin, and even visited the killer’s grave. Most notably, he obtained access to a rare 70-minute recording made after Gein’s arrest in 1957, a tape previously used in the documentary Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein.

Director Max Winkler noted in an interview with Variety that the show’s own researchers were unable to obtain the tape. Hunnam, however, managed to secure it and used the recording as a foundation to understand Gein’s tone, cadence, and overall presence.

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Building the voice

The voice did not appear fully formed at the start. Hunnam admitted it took time before he found one that felt right. He leaned on the rare 1957 recording but also borrowed from other places, pointing to Mark Rylance’s stage work in Jerusalem and touches of Michael Jackson’s rhythm and tone.

The result is a voice that feels high-pitched, gentle, almost like a child’s, breaking in odd moments and shifting without warning. In the trailer, the difference is clear. Hunnam’s Gein speaks with a softness far removed from his usual Newcastle accent, and that fragile delivery adds to the uneasy mood that runs through the series.

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The impact on the narrative

Collider points out how unusual the choice really is. In the clips already out, the voice comes across as fragile, almost like a whistle breaking through, and it clashes directly with the cruelty of the acts being shown. That distance between the way Gein speaks and what he does on screen makes Hunnam’s interpretation carry an extra layer of unease across the season.

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Comparing with reality

Ensuring that Hunnam’s voice perfectly matches Gein’s real voice is not possible. Only a few recordings exist, and their quality is poor. Collider notes that in the surviving clips, Gein’s speech comes across as soft, high-pitched, childlike, and almost musical.

James Buddy Day, director of Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein, described Gein’s actual voice as meek and mild. These traits appear in Hunnam’s portrayal, though complete accuracy cannot be confirmed. The recreation, therefore, relies both on historical material and on artistic interpretation designed to support the storytelling.

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Release and context of Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Monster: The Ed Gein Story was released in October 2025 on Netflix as the continuation of Murphy’s crime anthology, which had already depicted Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy.

In this installment, Gein’s voice quickly became one of the most discussed elements. The use of rare archival material and the decision to reconstruct a tone that aligns with what little evidence remains drew significant attention after the premiere.

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Additional background on Ed Gein

Gein’s notoriety is not limited to the crimes themselves but also to the cultural impact they had. Responsible for at least two confirmed murders, he also exhumed corpses and used human remains to fashion furniture and clothing. These details secured his place as a recurring figure in horror fiction.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story adds another layer to that legacy by emphasizing details of personality and behavior documented in available material.

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Conclusion

Charlie Hunnam achieved his version of Ed Gein’s voice through extensive research and the use of rare archival material. Collider describes how he relied on the 1957 recording and drew on unusual artistic references to build a singular performance. While the lack of accessible documentation prevents full confirmation of accuracy, the series presents a convincing approach that strengthens its disturbing narrative.

With this, Monster: The Ed Gein Story positions itself not only as another crime dramatization but as a season where voice becomes central to the portrayal.