At the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards red carpet, actor Cooper Koch revealed a moving message he'd just received from Lyle Menendez.
Koch, nominated for his portrayal of Erik Menendez in "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story," said the text underscored the deeper purpose behind his work: raising awareness rather than collecting trophies.
The comment comes in the wake of recent legal developments in the Menendez brothers' case. Lyle and his brother Erik were denied parole just a few weeks before the Emmys. Koch's role in Monsters has received widespread attention: not just for the dramatic premise but for its real-world echoes, including the brothers' resentencing and eligibility for parole.
While the Menendez brothers seem supportive of those involved in the Netflix series about their lives, this wasn't always the case. On September 20, 2024, Erik released a statement from his wife's X account stating, "I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show."
While others involved in the show defended its accuracy to real-life events, Koch expressed sadness at their reactions. Koch visited Lyle in prison late last year to address his criticisms of the show. In May 2025, Lyle stated that he is grateful that the series raised awareness of the issue of child abuse and would go on to call Koch's performance "pretty extraordinary."
"Monsters" premiered on Netflix on September 19, 2024, to mixed reviews, but it was a massive commercial success, debuting as the number one series on the platform worldwide and the third-most-watched Netflix series of the last half of the year.
The message from Lyle Menendez at the EMMYS
During the red carpet interviews, Koch told Variety that Lyle had written, "The goal is not accolades, the goal is to bring awareness. ... Love you, brother."
Cooper Koch says he received a message from Lyle Menendez ahead of the Emmys: "It's not about the accolades. All that matters is the awareness." https://t.co/YotjgEvPzj pic.twitter.com/p8ttQUCqYH
— Variety (@Variety) September 14, 2025
He also stated that if he wins, he "will speak from the heart... The only thing I want to say is, 'Come on, let's get these brothers out.'"
Cooper Koch hasn't prepared a speech if he wins for "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story": "If it does happen, I will speak from the heart. ... The only thing I want to say is, 'Come on, let's get these brothers out.'" https://t.co/YotjgEvPzj pic.twitter.com/V5UhjephMG
— Variety (@Variety) September 14, 2025
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