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Oh, honey, grab your popcorn and settle in because Cooper Koch is spilling the tea! Our favorite out-and-proud star of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story may be the name on everyone’s lips right now, but trust, it wasn’t always this glamorous.
Cooper, 28, is currently headlining one of Netflix’s biggest shows of the month, but this glow-up was hard-earned—and paved with more than a little sass and resilience.
Picture this: back in 2022, Koch found himself deep in the trenches of auditions, casting calls, and acting classes, like any rising star trying to break through the Hollywood haze.
He had the looks, the talent, the charisma—but one thing kept holding him back.
According to Koch himself, in a jaw-dropping interview with Edge Media Network, an acting teacher once straight-up told him he wasn’t booking gigs because of his “gay voice.”
Excuse me?! Yes, you read that right. In a moment that can only be described as peak audacity, the unnamed teacher asked him why he thought he wasn’t landing roles despite auditioning like a man possessed.
When Koch admitted he wasn’t sure (isn’t that why we take classes in the first place?), the teacher replied with, “Well, you have a gay voice.”
Imagine someone saying that to you in 2024, let alone 2022. The nerve! But Cooper, being the cool cucumber he is, has learned to brush off this kind of nonsense.
He later revealed that he had even been fired from a pilot for similar reasons, but, as he told Edge, he’s developed a “thick skin” over the years after dealing with bullies from his childhood.
Now, he knows how to walk away when folks try to dim his shine. And in true boss mode, he added, “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.”
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Yasss, queen, preach it! Koch’s resilience is something we’ve all gotta love. And it’s not just about his voice or how he carries himself.
Koch’s story hits home for many in our LGBTQ+ community who’ve had to contend with the same nonsense—being judged, criticized, or “othered” for simply being themselves.
What makes this story feel like tea between friends is that, at some point, we’ve all dealt with this brand of backhanded rejection, haven’t we?
Of course, it seems that Hollywood is finally catching on. Koch’s career has taken a 180-degree turn from those discouraging days.
He’s now starring in Ryan Murphy’s controversial true-crime adaptation Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, portraying Erik Menendez opposite Nicholas Chavez, who plays his brother Lyle.
The show, as expected with anything Murphy touches, is drama-packed and, unsurprisingly, topping Netflix charts worldwide.
But it wouldn’t be a Ryan Murphy production without some controversy! Monsters has faced accusations of sexualizing the Menendez brothers, with certain scenes showing the siblings kissing and appearing nude around each other.
While the real-life story of the Menendez brothers is already chilling—two sons convicted of first-degree murder for killing their parents—the show doesn’t shy away from dramatizing the intense, complicated relationship between them.
Whether it crosses a line or is simply pushing boundaries like most of Murphy’s work is up for debate, but one thing is clear: Cooper Koch’s performance is leaving audiences shook.
Before landing his starring role in Monsters, Koch was no stranger to the spotlight within the LGBTQ+ genre.
Horror fans probably remember him from They/Them, a slasher film set at a gay conversion camp, or Swallowed, another queer horror flick.
While these projects helped him build his reputation, Koch has made it clear he’s not here to be pigeonholed. “There [are] a lot of roles I go out for that don’t identify as gay, and I don’t only wanna play queer roles,” he’s said.
It’s a feeling so many LGBTQ+ actors can relate to. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with playing queer characters (and we love seeing our stories represented), Koch is determined to show Hollywood that he has range.
🌟 Fun Fact: 🌟
Before his breakout role in *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*, Cooper Koch starred in the critically acclaimed queer horror film Swallowed (2022), which earned praise for blending body horror with LGBTQ+ themes, showcasing his versatility and commitment to diverse storytelling.
And with Monsters continuing to dominate the Netflix charts, it’s clear that Cooper Koch’s gay voice isn’t holding him back anymore—in fact, it might just be propelling him straight to the top.
So what’s next for Koch? With his current momentum and a fan base that adores him, he’s clearly on track to become one of Hollywood’s most versatile stars.
Whether he’s taking on queer roles, straight roles, or anything in between, we’ll be watching and cheering him on every step of the way.
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