From ‘Hocus Pocus’ to Serial Killer Richard Speck
Actor Tobias Jelinek embraces the spooky season with a chilling new role. At 15, the Santa Barbara–raised actor broke out as Jay, the glam-rock mean kid in the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. Three decades later, he returns to a dark, gripping story playing convicted killer Richard Speck in Ian Brennan’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix.
Binge-Watching a Dark Phenomenon
When Monster premiered, Jelinek dedicated a day to watch all eight episodes, though he took a break halfway due to the intense material surrounding Ed Gein’s descent into necrophilia. The show quickly rose to fame, becoming the top-streamed series in 70 countries overnight.
“I couldn’t believe how fast people blew through it. People love horror, the macabre nature of humanity.” – Tobias Jelinek
Filming in the Footsteps of a Killer
Jelinek filmed in Chicago, tracing Richard Speck’s path of mass murder, disappearance into skid row, suicide attempt, and eventual arrest after a doctor recognized his tattoo from news reports. His scenes were shot at Stateville Penitentiary, where Speck was held until his death in 1991.
“I knew very little about Speck going into it, but the language [of the script] was so complete, so inspired.” – Tobias Jelinek
Reflecting on a Dark Role
This role marks a stark contrast to Jelinek’s earlier fame in family-friendly horror, showing his versatility and commitment to exploring the darker sides of humanity through his craft.
Author’s summary: Tobias Jelinek transforms from a cult classic teen actor to portraying notorious killer Richard Speck in Netflix’s hit series, reflecting humanity’s fascination with horror and the macabre.
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