The one strict rule Charlie Hunnam’s girlfriend had for him before he took on Ed Gein’s role

People are buzzing over Netflix’s third instalment of the Monster series, where Charlie Hunnam’s acting is undeniably fantastic, and he has now revealed that his girlfriend had one strict rule when it came to him playing the infamous serial killer Ed Gein.

The true crime drama goes deep into Ed Gein’s twisted obsession with his mother and how she shaped his gruesome crimes. And, as you’d expect from a Ryan Murphy production, the series is dark, very dark. So dark, in fact, that playing characters like these can have long-lasting effects on the actors involved.

Now, Charlie Hunnam has revealed that his girlfriend of two decades had one strict rule when he accepted the role.

So, what was the rule Charlie Hunnam’s girlfriend gave him?

via Netflix

Basically, she just wanted him to come back as myself. Speaking with E! News, Charlie said, “She got frustrated with me showing up and being a bit of a shell after doing a role.”

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He explained, “So, she said to me, probably about 10 years ago, ‘Here’s the rules of engagement: Go do your work. Be as selfish as you need to be, but then take some time, because when you get back, you better be ready to see me.’ Which is completely fair and really lovely.”

So how does Charlie disengage from his dark characters?

via Netflix

Not wanting to bring any negative energy home, Charlie makes a conscious effort to fully let go of the roles he plays. “I take a week, at least, as long as I need once I finish,” he shared.

In fact, he had a unique way of saying goodbye to Ed Gein. “This time was the most extreme decompression,” he said. “I was in Chicago, which is close to where Ed Gein lived in Wisconsin. So I drove up, visited his grave, and spent some time there. It was a healing way to say goodbye and put a full stop at the end of the thing.”

Knowing that Charlie would return home as himself, Morgana, his girlfriend, was fully supportive of him taking the role.

“My partner had incredible conviction that this was an important thing to do,” Charlie said. “She’s a big fan of psychoanalysis, so she understands shadow work and the value of staring into the abyss and confronting the darkness—way more than I do. She was an amazing support to me. She told me, ‘You just have to go do this thing. You’ve got to enter the cave and face the dragon.’”

And boy, did he face the dragon, and absolutely nail it.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.