However, while the series attempted to shed light on Dahmer's victims, the series has drawn much criticism from fans and critics alike and has been accused of profiting off their trauma.
The mother of one of Dahmer's victims – 31-year-old Anthony Hughes (played by Rodney Burford) – recently told The Guardian that what plays out in Dahmer "didn't happen like that", adding: "I don't see how they can do that. I don't see how they can use our names and put stuff out like that out there."
American Horror Story and Pose actor Evan Peters stars as the killer in the series alongside Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland, a real-life neighbour of Dahmer’s who reported him to the police.
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Peters previously spoke about his casting and the research he had undertaken for the role, telling Variety: "I've read so much, I've watched so much, I've seen so much, and at a certain point, you've got to say, 'All right, that's enough.'
"There are beautifully written scripts. You can have all the backstory you want, but at the end of the day we're not making a documentary."
If you're wondering how similar the cast of DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story are compared to their real-life counterparts, then read on to find out more about the cast and who they play.
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Who’s in the cast of Jeffrey Dahmer series on Netflix?
Evan Peters plays Jeffrey Dahmer
Who is Jeffrey Dahmer? Jeffrey Dahmer is one of America's most notorious serial killers, who between the years of 1978 and 1991 gruesomely murdered 17 men and boys. He was captured in 1991 and convicted in 1992, before being killed himself while in prison in 1994.
Evan Peters previously spoke about the research he undertook to prepare for the role, revealing he watched the 1994 interview conducted by Stone Phillips for Dateline NBC, as well as reading biographies, the police report and Dahmer's confession.
Peters said: "It was so jaw-dropping that it all really happened. It felt important to be respectful to the victims and to the victims' families to try to tell the story as authentically as we could."
Where have I seen Evan Peters before? Peters is known for his role as Quicksilver in the X-Men series, a role he also played (sort of) in MCU series WandaVision. He's also a favourite actor of DAHMER's creator Ryan Murphy, having appeared in American Horror Story and Pose. Last year, he starred alongside Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown.
Rodney Burford plays Tony Hughes
Who is Tony Hughes? In the series, aspiring model Tony becomes a victim of Jeffrey Dahmer who had been communicating with him through written notes and lip-reading as Tony was deaf. The sixth episode, Silenced, centres on Tony's story.
Where else have I seen Rodney Burford before? This is Burford's first television role, having previously appeared n Netflix's series Deaf U, which followed students at a private college catering to the deaf and hard of hearing, Gallaudet University.
Niecy Nash plays Glenda Cleveland
Who is Glenda Cleveland? Glenda Cleveland was Jeffrey's neighbour who reportedly told the police she was suspicious of him.
Where have I seen Niecy Nash before? Nash is known for her role as Dr Jamie Ryan in Netflix's Never Have I Ever, while she has also appeared in series such as Scream Queens, Claws, When They See Us and Mrs America.
Richard Jenkins plays Lionel Dahmer
Who is Lionel Dahmer? Lionel is Jeffrey's father and a research chemist.
Where have I seen Richard Jenkins before? Jenkins is a prolific film actor who has starred in The Shape of Water, Step Brothers, Kong: Skull Island, Spotlight, The Cabin in the Woods and many more movies. On TV, he previously starred in Berlin Station.
Molly Ringwald plays Shari Dahmer
Who is Shari Dahmer? Shari is Lionel's second wife and Jeffrey's stepmother.
Where have I seen Molly Ringwald before? Ringwald is best known for her starring role in '80s movies such as Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club. She has also recently had major roles in series including Riverdale and Feud: Bette and Joan.
Furly Mac plays Christopher Scarver
Who is Christopher Scarver? Christopher Scarver is a convicted murderer who was in prison with Jeffrey Dahmer and ultimately murdered the serial killer.
Where else have I seen Furly Mac before? Mac has also starred in the series Star, Chicago PD, South Side, and the film The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
Michael Learned plays Catherine Dahmer
Who is Catherine Dahmer? Catherine was Jeffrey's grandmother who he lived with since 1981. He often lured his victims to her house.
Where have I seen Michael Learned before? Learned is best known for her role as Olivia in 1970s series The Waltons, while she has more recently had roles in series including Scrubs, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless.
Dyllón Burnside plays Ronald Flowers
Who is Ronald Flowers? In the drama, Flowers is a man who narrowly escapes becoming a victim of Jeffrey Dahmer.
Where else have I seen Dyllón Burnside before? Burnside is best known for his role as Ricky Evangelista in Ryan Murphy's FX drama Pose. The actor has also appeared in episodes of High Maintenance and American Horror Stories.
Shaun J Brown as Tracy Edwards
Who is Tracy Edwards? In the drama, Edwards is a victim of Jeffrey Dahmer who escaped his apartment and raised the alarm, prompting police to investigate his apartment and discover the truth about the killer.
Where else have I seen Shaun J Brown before? Brown is best known for his role as Mason in the television series The Great Indoors but has also appeared in episodes of True Blood, Glee, Grimm, Grace & Frankie, Future Man, and Run.
Penelope Ann Miller plays Joyce Dahmer
Who is Joyce Dahmer? The mother of Jeffrey Dahmer struggled with mental health issues prior to her divorce from Lionel Dahmer.
Where have I seen Penelope Ann Miller before? A broadway star, Miller has appeared in Hollywood films such as Adventures in Babysitting, Biloxi Blues, Big Top Pee-wee, The Freshman, Awakenings, Kindergarten Cop, Other People's Money, Year of the Comet, and Carlito's Way.
Who else is in the cast of DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story?
The rest of the cast is filled out with actors including Linda Park (Star Trek: Enterprise).
You can find the full additional cast list for the series here:
- Michael Beach as Detective Murphy
- Colby French as Detective Kennedy
- Mac Brandt as Officer Rauth
- Grant Harvey as Officer Mueller
- Matthew Alan as Officer Gabrish
- Scott Michael Morgan as Officer Balcerzak
- Josh Braaten as Young Lionel Dahmer
- Savannah Brown as Young Joyce Dahmer
- Nick A. Fisher as Young Jeffrey Dahmer
- Cameron Cowperthwaite as Steven Hicks
- Vince Hill-Bedford as Steven Tuomi
- Blake Cooper Griffin as Charles
- Matt Cordova as Detective Rauss
- Karen Malina White as Shirley Hughes
- Nikyla Boxley as Young Shirley Hughes
- Karl Makinen as Officer Clyde Reynolds
- Nigel Gibbs as Jesse Jackson
- Brandon Black as Dean Vaughn
- Raphael Sbarge as Mayor John Norquist
- David Barrera as Police Chief Arreola
- Khetphet “KP” Phagnasay as Sounthone Sinthasomphone
- Ken Lerner as Joseph Zilber
- Dominic Burgess as John Wayne Gacy
- Chris Greene as Assistant Chaplain Adams
- Linda Park as Julie Yang
How many episodes are there of DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story?
There are 10 episodes in total of DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
The episode titles are as follows.
- Episode One
- Please Don't Go
- Doin' A Dahmer
- The Good Boy Box
- Blood On Their Hands
- Silenced
- Cassandra
- Lionel
- The Bogeyman
- God of Forgiveness, God of Vengeance
DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available to stream on Netflix now. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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