Actor Michael Chernus on Becoming Gacy—and Why It Wasn’t What You Think

For decades, the story of John Wayne Gacy has been
sensationalized, flattened into caricature, and spun into horror
tropes. But in Peacock’s new limited series Devil in Disguise:
John Wayne Gacy, that mask is coming off—and in this interview,
we go behind the scenes with the team responsible for flipping
the true crime genre on its head.

Joining us are series showrunner and executive producer Patrick
McManus, actor Michael Chernus—who portrays Gacy with terrifying
subtlety—and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father
was on Gacy’s original legal team. Together, we dissect how the
show avoids glorifying the killer and instead places the focus
exactly where it belongs: on the victims, their families, and the
systemic failures that allowed Gacy to operate in plain
sight.

This isn’t a glorified biopic. There are no salacious murder
scenes. No glamorizing evil. What you get is a chilling, grounded
retelling that treats its subject matter—and its audience—with
respect.

We also dig into what it takes to play a predator without
slipping into caricature, what it’s like to listen to Gacy’s
original defense tapes, and why true crime needs to evolve beyond
its fascination with monsters and lean into the wreckage they
leave behind.

If you care about accuracy, nuance, and storytelling with a
conscience, this episode is essential.
 #JohnWayneGacy #DevilInDisguise
#PeacockOriginals #TrueCrimeSeries #MichaelChernus #BobMotta
#HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeInterview #GacySeries
#VictimCenteredStorytelling


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