At 25 years old, Nicholas Alexander Chavez is one of the most prominent actors in Hollywood today. He plays Lyle Menendez in the series “Monsters” on Netflix which traces the true story of these two brothers accused of the murder of their parents in Los Angeles in 1989. And the American arrives on November 13, 2024 in the new series by Ryan Murphy on Disney+, “Grotesquerie”.
How did you go from playing a young man who murders his parents in “Monsters” to playing a priest in “Grotesquerie”?
I did the two shoots one after the other. I didn’t even have a day off between “Monsters” and “Grotesquerie”, but that was fine because the two stories are very different. To play Lyle Menendez, I had intense preparation because it is a true story and it was essential to be as accurate as possible in the smallest details. In the case of “Grotesquerie,” I was able to trust my instincts. The story is fictional, often frightening because we are on the border between religious belief and the horrors committed by a murderer. One of the nicest aspects of playing Father Charlie was that I could really follow my impulses.
Ryan Murphy is famous for the “American Horror Story” saga which has recounted new stories every year for 12 years. Is “Grotesquerie” in the same vein?
Let’s say that the two universes are close in their horrific side but “Grotesquerie” follows a police investigation which has nothing to do with all the past seasons of “AHS”. Ryan is a genius who knows better than anyone how to keep all his projects a secret. I can simply tell you that our mini-series follows the investigations of a detective accompanied by Sister Mégane, a reporter for a Catholic newspaper. They are investigating a series of macabre murders of a religious nature. I play Father Charlie whom Sister Mégane consults during her research into these crimes.
Do you have a particular attraction to these stories that mix horror and drama?
Above all, I like complex characters. Suffice to say that with these two projects I was served (laughing). I have a lot of love around me and the unwavering support of my family, which allows me to safely venture into these dark feelings as an actor.
You have been announced for the summer of 2025 as the star of “Remember Last Summer”, a remake of the cult film from the 1990s. How do you react to your sudden success?
When you place, like me, all your energy and all your artistic heart in projects like “Monsters” and “Grotesquerie”, you can only hope for one thing: that the public will be there and that appreciate our work. I’m only 25 years old and I know I still have everything to prove in my career.
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