How Evan Peters Prepared to Play Jeffrey Dahmer

How Evan Peters Prepared to Play Jeffrey Dahmer

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re discussing how Evan Peters prepared to play Jeffrey Dahmer.

For this list, we’ll be looking at how this American actor researched the role of this Netflix series’ titular monster.

What did you think of Peters’ portrayal? Let us know in the comments.

From troubled teen Tate Langdon to cult leader Kai Anderson, Evan Peters has played a variety of disturbed characters on “American Horror Story.” Jeffrey Dahmer was a different beast for a number of reasons, however. Ironically, in “American Horror Story: Hotel,” Peters’ James Patrick March hosted a dinner party with several notorious killers, including Dahmer. Actor Seth Gabel portrayed the Milwaukee Cannibal in that show, but Peters still had limited knowledge of Dahmer when he reteamed with co-creator Ryan Murphy for this limited series. Peters essentially went in with a blank slate, his only referencing being a crime scene photo. Initially, Peters didn’t even realize the apartments in the image were where Dahmer claimed 12 of his 17 victims.

Most would describe Dahmer as a devilish person. While the devil part is accurate, he didn’t come across as a winking devil during interviews or recorded footage. Many wonder why he committed such atrocities. Speaking with Peters, Ryan Murphy gave his take on Dahmer, who Murphy sensed had a peculiar relationship to his crimes. We’re used to seeing Peters play characters with such charisma, a quality that Dahmer lacked. To this extent, Peters plays against type as an empty vessel who won’t stop what he’s doing until someone intervenes. Unfortunately for the victims and their loved ones, the authorities didn’t get involved until it was too late.

Peters began his research on YouTube where he tracked down Dahmer’s 1994 Dateline NBC interview with Stone Phillips, “Confessions of a Serial Killer.” The interview was Broadcast only eight months before Dahmer was beaten to death in prison. Throughout the interview, Dahmer can come off as calm and even casual, which makes it all the more unsettling as he delves into his childhood hobbies, motives, and how he committed his crimes. Peters brings a similar soft-spoken demeanor to his performance, portraying Dahmer as a sick introvert who keeps everything on the inside and appears indifferent to his surroundings. Dahmer cited “control” as a driving force behind his acts. Peters’ performance gets to the root of Dahmer’s desire to permanently possess those he terrorized.



Peters’ sought out other YouTube videos, including an audio interview that sounded like a psychologist or detective talking to Dahmer. In fact, he dove deep into his research, seeking out any relevant materials available. The actor noticed how candidly Dahmer spoke. When Dahmer is caught in the Netflix series, Peters delivers a similar frankness, giving up everything he knows without hesitation or concern for the consequences. In flashbacks, Peters brings a sense of normality to Dahmer’s body language and speaking manner, which helped enable him to get away with his crimes for so long. As subtle as Peters can be in the role, you feel the unnatural urges raging beneath the surface, painting Dahmer as a monster hiding in plain sight.

After reading and watching so much, Peters had to stop himself. Peters told Variety, “at a certain point, you’ve got to say, ‘All right, that’s enough.’” While Peters wanted to be authentic, he acknowledged that they weren’t making a documentary. Peters was more interested in “maintaining the idea and the through line of why you’re telling the story and always having that as your guiding light.” Throughout the process, Peters found himself asking, “Where is that line?” The role presented a difficult balancing act as Peters juggled naturalism with entertainment. Even when the show took liberties for storytelling purposes, Peters aspired to play Dahmer as honestly as possible.

Dahmer’s glasses are among the creative liberties that the series takes. While Dahmer indeed owned a distinct pair of aviator glasses, he didn’t wear them throughout his whole trial as the show suggests, not wanting to see those he had harmed. Although this detail is off, Peters still gets Dahmer’s mindset across as he struggles to make eye contact. On that note, Dahmer did sport a pair of haunting yellow contact lenses, drawing inspiration from Emperor Palpatine and the Gemini Killer from “Exorcist III.” Peters also dawned yellow contacts for the role, a detail that’s easy to miss at first glance. Paired with a head of blonde hair and a scruffy face, Peters pulled off an unnerving physical transformation.

Although Peters has played dark characters before, few of them were directly based on a real figure like Dahmer. The role thus presented one of the scariest and most difficult challenges of his career. Discussing his work on “American Horror Story,” Peters recalled a surreal sense of disassociation with the behavior of his depraved character. Since Dahmer’s actions are grounded in brutal reality, Peters wasn’t so easily “desensitized” to the evils that this series depicts. Peters not only had to confront Dahmer’s vile acts, but also get lost inside his head. To do the part justice, Peters would spend long periods in dark places.

It wasn’t an easy shoot for the crew either. Production assistant Kim Alsup described “Dahmer” as “one of the worst shows that [she’s] ever worked on,” noting that she was often mistaken for the only other Black below-the-line crew member on set. Alsup has yet to watch the series, claiming to have experienced PTSD from the trailer alone. She also claimed that mental health coordinators weren’t present. However, Peters credited the crew for preventing him from going overboard, singling out first assistant camera Sarah Brandes. He also mentioned director of photography Jason McCormick, who reminded him why they’re telling this story.




The series takes a nuanced approach to Dahmer, exploring how his family and the authorities contributed to his trail of debauchery. At the same time, the intent was never to paint Dahmer in a likable or sympathetic light. The showrunners chose not to tell the story from Dahmer’s perspective. Even when a scene centers on Dahmer, there’s a disconnect between him and the audience. This series isn’t just about what Dahmer did, but also the repercussions of his actions and what those around him endured. No matter which side we see this story from, Peters’ presence alone leaves us feeling on edge whenever Dahmer is on screen.

Despite these attempts not to glamorize Dahmer’s story, the series has been met with a mixed reception. Some critics and families of the victims argued that the show capitalizes on Dahmer’s crimes and forces those involved to relive the trauma. Others say it shines a light on an infamous moment in human history that’s still relevant today. One element that most people agree on is Peters’ performance, which is already garnering awards talk. It’s been almost 11 years since Peters achieved mainstream attention with “American Horror Story.” As fun as he was on that show, it can feel like dressing for Halloween compared to the sheer dread he unearths as Dahmer. Whatever your thoughts on the show, nobody can deny Peters’ commitment and growth as an actor.