Netflix's Monster season 3 focuses on the life and crimes of serial killer Ed Gein
The latest series of Netflix's Monster has recently returned for its third season, focusing on the infamous killer Ed Gein as the lead of the show has had to defend it from criticism.
Known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul due to his heinous crimes, Gein had only two confirmed murder victims but confessed to exhuming bodies from graveyards and crafting various items from their body parts, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Police found a macabre collection of objects in his home, including bowls made from skulls and lampshades created from human skin. These discoveries led to Gein being recognised as the inspiration behind iconic horror films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.
Netflix's eight-part series delves into Gein's early life, his crimes, and his influence on popular culture. However, one aspect that has caught viewers' attention is the character's voice and that of the star Charlie Hunnam.
Many viewers are wondering about actor Hunnam's real voice and accent.
The star hails from Newcastle-upon-Tyne but now lives in LA and has been there for many years.
He is best known for his role as Jax Teller in the FX drama Sons of Anarchy.
These days, Hunnam's accent is much more Transatlantic, veering towards American than British.
Also, compared to Gein, Hunnam's voice is lower with the star saying he created a specific tone for the character after listening to never-before-heard tapes of the killer.
He also drew from the script with Gein's mother Augusta Gein (Laurie Metcalf) telling her son eveyday that she'd longed for a girl.
In an effort to please his mother and try to win her love, in the show Gein has a softer voice to sound more feminine.
Hunnam's approach cannot be considered a completely accurate representation of the voice.
Whilst Hunnam appears to ground it in a Wisconsin accent, he also seems to incorporate elements into Gein's character that influence the voice.
Speaking ahead of the series' Netflix debut, he acknowledged that the voice "needed to be really specific", despite him and the director initially lacking "an idea of what that was". He disclosed that the voice primarily emerged from "a series of affectations to please his mother".
Meanwhile, director Max Winkler has stated the voice drew inspiration partly from Michael Jackson and Mark Rylance's performance in the play Jerusalem.
Hunnam also revealed that he would frequently maintain the voice between takes and relished the process. Nevertheless, he wouldn't go as far as staying in character to the extent of irritating people.
Very little surviving evidence exists to inform us what Ed Gein's voice truly sounded like. A recent documentary series discloses what Ed Gein's voice actually sounded like.
Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein explores the early life of Gein.
It also features recordings of Gein that were captured whilst he was being questioned by police regarding the murders and his other crimes. Some of these recordings are of poor quality, which makes it difficult to compare with Hunnam's interpretation.
The documentary's director James Buddy Day characterised the killer's voice as "meek and mild". This perhaps somewhat explains Hunnam's approach to his performance.
Several users have shared snippets of Ed Gein's actual voice on YouTube, with some posts directly comparing it to Hunnam's portrayal.
Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein, which features these recordings, can also be streamed online. All four episodes are available on MGM+.
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