Monsters' Leslie Grossman Would Be 'Happy to Talk to' Judalon Smyth If She 'Reached Out and Wanted to Meet' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth inMonsterson Netflix.Photo:Courtesy of Netflix

Courtesy of Netflix

Unlike some of her costars, Leslie Grossman is not particularly interested in meetingErikandLyle Menéndez, the two brothers at the center of the controversial Netflix true crime series,Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story.

While speaking to PEOPLE, Grossman, who portrays Judalon Smyth onMonsters, says “I really don’t have a strong opinion about it one way or the other” when it comes to meeting the real-life figures involved in the Menéndez case.

However, “if Judalon reached out and wanted to meet me, I would be happy to talk to her,” she says, noting, “I also completely understand this is people’s real lives, right? And they maybe would like to not engage with that and that’s fine too.”

Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth.Courtesy Of Netflix

Courtesy Of Netflix

Grossman, 52, adds, “I don’t have some strong need to connect with a person that I played. But if they really felt strongly about meeting me, I’d be definitely open to it.”

She adds, “I was very aware of her. It’s also a very specific name that you don’t forget. And, you know, the thing about Judalon is that she is definitely a unique and specific person who had a world view that was interesting.”

In fact, that’s how she ended up getting involved with the series. The actress, who first worked with Murphy on the teen showPopularbefore appearing in six installments ofAmerican Horror Story, recalls talking to the co-creator aboutMonstersearly on in the development process.

Leslie Grossman on Sept. 16, 2024.Leon Bennett/WireImage

Leon Bennett/WireImage

“Ryan had been working on this for a while. There was a lot of research involved for years before it was even written,” she says. “So when he was mentioning it to me, I was like, ‘Dude, I’m obsessed with Judalon. He was like, ‘You should play Judalon.’ And I said, ‘I agree.’ So that’s how that happened.”

For Grossman, the scene-stealing role was a chance to transform into this real-life character.

“A lot of people don’t recognize me,” she says of her performance on the show, mostly appearing opposite Roberts, who she says was a “real game scene partner” on set. The actress compliments the producer and costume designer Lou Eyrich and her design partner, Paula Bradley, in particular, for their “commitment” they made “for my character.”

“They get so hyper-specific and do so much great work [of sourcing material],” she continues, adding that “when you get into the wig, when you get into the outfit, when you get that face of makeup put on, it’s like, ‘Oh, wow.’ It transforms you in a way that was so key and critical into becoming that person.”

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Storyis now streaming on Netflix.

source: people.com