The Chilling Cast Of Monster: The Ed Gein Story—Who Plays The Butcher Of Plainfield And The Shocking Cameos Explained

The highly anticipated third installment of Ryan Murphy’s true crime anthology, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, is set to premiere on Netflix on October 3, 2025, bringing one of America's most infamous killers to the screen. Following the massive success of the series focusing on Jeffrey Dahmer, this season dives into the twisted world of Ed Gein, the "Butcher of Plainfield," whose macabre crimes shocked the nation and inspired horror icons like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The casting for this dark, psychological thriller is a major talking point, featuring a mix of Hollywood veterans and rising stars tasked with portraying the complex and disturbing figures from Gein's life—and those his legacy influenced. From the lead actor's intense transformation to the surprising inclusion of historical figures like Alfred Hitchcock, the ensemble promises a fresh, deep, and utterly unsettling look at the man behind the myths.

The Main Cast: Biographies and Key Roles

The core of Monster: The Ed Gein Story rests on the shoulders of actors portraying the killer and the most dominant figure in his life: his mother, Augusta Gein. The show aims to explore the deep-seated psychological trauma that led to Ed Gein's horrific acts.

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Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein

Charlie Hunnam, the English actor best known for his rugged roles, takes on the titular and challenging role of Ed Gein.

• Full Name: Charles Matthew Hunnam
• Born: April 10, 1980 (Age 45 as of December 2025)
• Hometown: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
• Career Highlights: Hunnam first gained recognition in the British series Queer as Folk, but is most famous for playing Jax Teller in the acclaimed FX series Sons of Anarchy. He has also starred in films like Pacific Rim, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Green Street Hooligans.
• The Role: Hunnam portrays Gein, whose crimes of grave robbing, murder, and creating household items from human remains cemented his place in true crime history. The role requires a profound physical and psychological transformation to capture the quiet, isolated, and deeply disturbed nature of the killer.

Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein

Playing the critical role of Gein's religiously fanatical and emotionally abusive mother, Augusta Gein, is the highly decorated actress Laurie Metcalf.

• Full Name: Laura Elizabeth Metcalf
• Born: June 16, 1955 (Age 70 as of December 2025)
• Hometown: Carbondale, Illinois, USA
• Career Highlights: Metcalf is a legendary figure on both stage and screen. She is known for her Emmy-winning role as Jackie Harris in the TV series Roseanne (and its sequel, The Conners). On film, she earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Lady Bird. She is also an original ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
• The Role: Augusta is arguably the most important figure in Ed Gein’s life, whose oppressive religious dogma and intense possessiveness are often cited as the root cause of his pathology.

Suzanna Son as Adeline Watkins

Suzanna Son takes on the role of Adeline Watkins, a character who represents the show's fictionalized take on Gein's personal life.

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• Career Highlights: Son is a rising star known for her breakout role in the film Red Rocket, which earned her critical praise.
• The Role: Adeline Watkins is presented as Ed Gein's alleged girlfriend or accomplice, a woman who is obsessed with disturbing media and eventually joins Gein in his macabre activities. It is important to note that Adeline Watkins is a largely fictionalized character for the series, allowing the show to explore themes of media influence and shared pathology.

The Unexpected Supporting Roles: Hitchcock and the Witch of Buchenwald

In a move that distinguishes it from the Dahmer season, Monster: The Ed Gein Story incorporates real-life figures whose stories intersect with Gein's crimes, either as an inspiration or as a reflection of the darkness he embodied. These casting decisions are the most intriguing and unique aspects of the series' narrative structure.

Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock

The acclaimed British actor Tom Hollander plays the legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock.

• Career Highlights: Hollander is a versatile actor known for roles in Pride & Prejudice, The Night Manager, and The White Lotus.
• The Connection: Gein's horrific crimes, particularly the use of human remains and the mother fixation, were the primary inspiration for Hitchcock's groundbreaking 1960 film, Psycho. Hollander's inclusion as Hitchcock suggests the series will explore the impact of Gein's case on pop culture and the horror genre. The character may serve as a narrator or a meta-commentary on how Gein's story was sensationalized and fictionalized.

Vicky Krieps as Ilse Koch

Perhaps the most shocking inclusion is Vicky Krieps, who portrays the notorious Nazi war criminal Ilse Koch.

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• Career Highlights: Krieps is a Luxembourgish actress who gained international recognition for her lead role in the film Phantom Thread.
• The Connection: Ilse Koch, known as the "Witch of Buchenwald," was the wife of a Nazi commandant and was infamous for her cruelty and alleged creation of artifacts from human skin. The series reveals that Ed Gein is shown to be reading a comic book about Ilse Koch, establishing a disturbing parallel and suggesting a source of inspiration for Gein's own macabre collections. Krieps herself commented on the difficulty and fear of playing such a dark, real-life figure.

The Gein Legacy in Pop Culture and Horror

The crimes of Ed Gein—grave robbing, cannibalism, and creating objects like bowls and masks from human remains—are not just a chapter in true crime history; they are foundational to the modern horror genre. The casting choices in Monster: The Ed Gein Story emphasize this profound cultural impact.

The decision to cast Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock is a direct acknowledgment of how Gein’s actions were immortalized. Beyond Psycho, Gein's story was a clear inspiration for the cannibalistic killer in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Leatherface) and the skin-suit-wearing killer in The Silence of the Lambs (Buffalo Bill). The series promises to be a deep dive not only into the killer's life but also into the mythology he created.

Topical Entities and LSI Keywords

The narrative is rich with entities that build topical authority around the subject:

• The Butcher of Plainfield: Gein's chilling nickname, referencing his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin.
• True Crime Anthology: The format of the Netflix series, continuing the success of the Dahmer season.
• Grave Robbing: A key element of Gein's crimes before he escalated to murder.
• Human Remains Artifacts: The grotesque items Gein created, including masks, bowls, and lampshades.
• Psychological Profile: The show’s focus on the mother-son dynamic and Gein's severe mental illness.
• Slasher Films: The genre that Gein's story directly influenced, including foundational works like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

With Charlie Hunnam's intense portrayal of Gein and the fascinating inclusion of figures like Alfred Hitchcock and Ilse Koch, the third season of Monster is poised to be the most ambitious and perhaps most disturbing installment yet. The series is not just retelling a crime story; it’s examining the dark cultural ripple effect of one man’s unspeakable acts.