Netflix's latest instalment in its Monsters franchise has viewers doing double takes, not just at the gruesome story it tells, but at the face behind one of its most iconic characters.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story dives deep into the twisted crimes of the infamous Wisconsin killer, but it also explores the dark legacy his actions left on Hollywood, particularly through the lens of director Alfred Hitchcock.
The English filmmaker appears early in the series, with the show flashing forward from Gein’s crimes to the development and production of Psycho, the 1960 horror classic heavily inspired by the killer's relationship with his mother.
It’s a standout moment in the series and one made even more memorable when viewers discovered who was behind the transformation.
Tom Hollander’s Unrecognizable Turn as Hitchcock
In the series, Hitchcock is played by British actor Tom Hollander.
Known for roles in Pride and Prejudice, The Night Manager, and The White Lotus Season 2, Hollander underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the part.
Apparently, however, being that Hitchcock's character in the production has been molded with prosthetics to create the director's balding appearance, some fans failed to recognize the actor playing him.
"Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock in Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Unrecognizable but instantly recognizable. What a piece of casting!" one user gushed, while another said: “No way is that Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock! What a performance."
A third joked: “The real monster is whoever cast Tom Hollander as Hitchcock. Also Ed Gein is the real monster. But that casting director, too.” A fourth added: “Tom Hollander playing Alfred Hitchcock is perfect casting!"
A Fictionalized Hollywood But With Roots in Reality
Though fans are impressed by Hollander’s performance, the show’s portrayal of Hitchcock takes clear creative liberties.
In one scene, the director takes Psycho star Anthony Perkins (played by Joey Pollari) around a replica of Gein’s home. In reality, Psycho took place at the fictional Bates Motel, not a rural Wisconsin farmhouse.
The violence shown in Psycho is also ramped up for dramatic effect. In Monster, the infamous shower scene is more graphic, even showing the knife piercing the victim, whereas in Hitchcock’s actual film, the violence was only implied.
The Netflix series suggests the influential director was haunted by the effect Psycho had on the industry, but there’s little historical evidence to support that narrative.
While Hitchcock’s output slowed in his later years, it’s more likely due to a combination of factors: changes in the studio system, the deaths of close collaborators like editor George Tomasini and composer Bernard Hermann, and his own age and health concerns.
Still, Ryan Murphy's show leans into its meta-commentary, presenting him not just as a filmmaker but as a symbol of Hollywood’s enduring obsession with real-life horror.