Ryan Murphy's Controversial 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story' Earns 13 Emmy Nominations

Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer
Netflix

The controversial limited true-crime series stars Evan Peters as a serial killer who preyed on the queer community.

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, the hit yet controversial limited true-crime drama, garnered 13 nominations for the upcoming 75th annual Emmy Awards. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the Netflix series stars Evan Peters as one of America's most notorious serial killers, and has since picked up a number of accolades after becoming one of the streaming platform's most-watched originals.  

In addition to being nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Monster also earned Peters his second acting nod, this time for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Additionally, Niecy Nash-Betts and Richard Jenkins were also recognized with individual acting noms. 

The creative team, meanwhile, picked up two Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie nominations for Paris Barclay and Carl Franklin. Monster also tied with Beef as the most nominated limited or anthology series of 2023. 

"Thank you to the Television Academy for this honor. I feel incredibly grateful to be recognized alongside my fellow nominees and awe-inspiring cast-mates Niecy Nash-Betts and Richard Jenkins," Peters said in a statement. "Congratulations to our brilliant directors Paris Barclay and Carl Franklin on their nominations, as well as to our entire cast and crew who worked tirelessly on Monster. I feel beyond grateful to Ryan Murphy for his unbending support, to all our courageous and irreplaceable writers, and to all our pre and post production teams. Thank you!!!"

Debuting 30 years after Dahmer was convicted of 15 murders and subsequently sentenced to life in prison in 1992, the serial killer became the focus of the unsettling true-crime project as Monster chronicled the troubling life and gruesome crimes of the "Milwaukee Cannibal" and his many victims. 

In addition to Peters, Jenkins appeared as his father, Lionel Dahmer, with Molly Ringwald as Shari Dahmer, Michael Learned as Catherine Dahmer and Nash as a Milwaukee neighbor named Glenda Cleveland, who tried to call attention to Dahmer's crimes at the time. 

Portraying some of Dahmer’s victims were Cameron Cowperthwaite as Steven Hicks, Vince Hill-Bedford as Steven Tuomi, Rodney Burnford as Tony Hughes and Shaun J. Brown as Tracy Edwards, whose escape led to Dahmer’s arrest.

The recognition for Peters follows his first-ever nomination and Supporting Actor win in 2021 for his turn as Detective Colin Zabel in Mare of Easttown while Nash has garnered a total of four previous noms, with her role for When We Rise marking her first-ever in the drama categories. Jenkins, meanwhile, has one nomination and win for Olive Kitteridge in 2015.

As for Murphy, the TV producer has amassed a total of 37 nominations and six wins prior to the 2023 Emmys. He last won for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, another limited true-crime series depicting a queer serial killer, in 2018. 


The 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards air live on Monday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Fox. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Emmys coverage.

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