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Dahmer: Ryan Murphy on Netflix Removing LGBTQ Tag: "I Didn't Like It"

Published Sat, 29 Oct 2022 15:08:14 -0500

Yesterday, Ryan Murphy addressed some of the criticisms surrounding his, Ian Brennan & Netflix's Evan Peters & Niecy Nash-Betts-starring DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. As the numbers on the limited series continue to climb, so does the debate over whether the limited series is another attempt to profit off of the "serial killer craze" at the expense of the victims' families & friends. This time around, Murphy is discussing Netflix's decision to remove the "LGBTQ" label from the series ("I didn't like it"), the scene he's most proud of, and why it's important that even horrific moments in modern history need to be brought out into the light of day.

"The rule of my career has been: The more specific you are, the more universal you can become. I also don't think that all gay stories have to be happy stories," Murphy explained while discussing his approach to his craft. "There was a moment on Netflix where they removed the L.G.B.T.Q. tag from 'Dahmer,' and I didn't like it, and I asked why they did that, and they said [that] because people were upset because it was an upsetting story. I was, like, 'Well, yeah.' But it was a story of a gay man and, more importantly, his gay victims." Murphy cites a scene from Episode 6, "Silenced" (directed by Paris Barclay and written by David McMillan & Janet Mock), that he's especially proud of, adding, " There's a five-minute scene of three gay deaf men at a pizza parlor talking in sign language about dating, gay life and how hard is it for them. I could not believe that I was getting the gift of putting it on television."

As for those who've looked to celebrate or profit off of Dahmer being in the headlines, Murphy sees it as a sign of the times, explaining, "The world is a dark place and getting darker, and people are looking for a place to put their anxieties." Looking to shine a spotlight on the racism and homophobia that allowed Dahmer to continue his killing spree, Murphy understands the subject matter is horrifically tragic, but that's even more reason for the victims' stories [to] be told and not just Dahmer's. "What are the rules now? Should we never do a movie about a tyrant?" Murphy asked. After the production team spent 3-1/2 years researching the story and reaching out to as many people connected to the cases as possible (including victims' friends & family), Murphy felt they had what they needed to tell the story properly. "I think when you make something like this, you have an obligation to history," Murphy explained.

Here's a Look Back at DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Peters & Nash-Betts are joined in the main cast by Richard Jenkins (Lionel Dahmer), Molly Ringwald (Shari Dahmer), and Michael Learned (Catherine Dahmer). In the following featurettes, Peters opens up about playing the serial killer and the impact it had on him personally. Following that, Nash-Betts discusses why it was important for Glenda Cleveland's (Dahmer's neighbor who tried in vain to get law enforcement involved) story to be told. For a look at what Peters and Nash-Betts had to share about the upcoming limited series, here's a look behind the scenes of Netflix's DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story:

Penelope Ann Miller (Joyce Dahmer), Michael Beach (Detective Murphy), Colby French (Detective Kennedy), Shaun J. Brown (Tracy Edwards), Mac Brandt (Officer Rauth), Grant Harvey (Officer Mueller), Matthew Alan (Officer Gabrish), Scott Michael Morgan (Officer Balcerzak), Josh Braaten (Young Lionel Dahmer), Savannah Brown (Young Joyce Dahmer), Nick A. Fisher (Young Jeffrey Dahmer), Cameron Cowperthwaite (Steven Hicks), Vince Hill-Bedford (Steven Tuomi), Blake Cooper Griffin (Charles), Matt Cordova (Detective Rauss), Rodney Burford (Tony Hughes), Karen Malina White (Shirley Hughes), Nikyla Boxley (Young Shirley Hughes), Karl Makinen (Officer Clyde Reynolds), Nigel Gibbs (Jesse Jackson), Brandon Black (Dean Vaughn), Raphael Sbarge (Mayor John Norquist), David Barrera (Police Chief Arreola), Dyllón Burnside (Ronald Flowers), Khetphet "KP" Phagnasay (Sounthone Sinthasomphone), Ken Lerner (Joseph Zilber), Dominic Burgess (John Wayne Gacy), Chris Greene (Assistant Chaplain Adams), Furly Mac (Christopher Scarver), and Linda Park (Julie Yang) guest star in the series.

Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Evan Peters, Janet Mock, and Carl Franklin (101 only) executive produce, with Rashad Robinson (President of Color Of Change) serving as a consulting producer.

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