Meet Cooper Koch: The unknown but incredible actor playing Erik Menendez in Monsters

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the latest in the true crime anthology by Ryan Murphy, has been divisive to say the least – but everyone is at least in agreement that the performances in the Netflix series are truly something special to behold. None more so than that of Cooper Koch, who plays Erik Menendez in Monsters and has become an overnight success with huge acclaim for his portrayal. Despite clearly having massive talent, Cooper Koch is a relatively unknown actor with zero social media presence – so here’s everything you need to know about him. Because, let’s face it, after his work as Erik Menendez in Monsters, Cooper Koch is going to be everywhere.

So who is he?

Cooper Koch is an actor from the US, specifically Los Angeles. His role as Erik Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is his first time having a major role in a TV series and has shot him up from being a relatively unknown actor and model into one everyone wants to know more about. His twin brother Payton Koch is also in the film industry, and has worked behind the scenes on Ryan Murphy’s Ratched previously as well as Only Murders in the Building.

How old is Cooper Koch?

He is currently 28. He plays the younger Menendez brother against Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle – but Cooper is actually three years older than Chavez.

What else has he been in?

Before getting this big break in the Ryan Murphy show, Cooper Koch has had roles in two horror films – both in 2022. One is They/Them, about a masked killer at a conversion therapy camp which also starred Kevin Bacon. The second is Swallowed – a body horror with Jena Malone that has a similar sounding plot to this year’s big acclaimed hit The Substance.

When speaking about his acting history to Edge Media Network, Cooper Koch has explained that pre Monsters and his Erik Menendez role he had been told he wasn’t getting parts because of his voice, being told “Well, you have a gay voice” by an acting teacher.

“I have a thick skin and at this point in my life, I’ve been through bullying when I was a kid, I’ve been fired from a pilot because of it,” he said. “But I also don’t tolerate it any more. I will just walk away. If you’re gonna have that kind of opinion, or you’re not gonna want to work with me because my voice sounds a certain way or because I walk or talk or move my hands in a certain way, then I don’t want to work with you either, babe.”

What has Cooper Koch said about playing Erik?

Speaking to The Wrap, Cooper Koch has said “I turned my trailer into Erik’s room so I had clothes everywhere, and I had pictures of him on the wall, pictures of me too. I looked at videos of me when I was really young, and I watched how my parents treated me, which gave me a level of gratitude for my family and my parents. I listened to [Erik] and watched him religiously. And I had my music, I had all different kinds of journals, all different kinds of things to help me really feel like him and be him.”

As of right now, Cooper Koch has no social media presence and doesn’t have an Instagram or Twitter. His brother Payton has posted a few of him on his Instagram, though.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

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