Jason Clarke enjoyed ‘disappearing’ into Alex Murdaugh in ‘Death in the Family,’ even if it hurt

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This article contains spoilers for the finale of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family.”

Jason Clarke doesn’t consider himself a method actor, but he became deeply involved in portraying Alex Murdaugh, the convicted killer and former lawyer, to the point where he frequently had dreams about him.

Playing Alex Murdaugh in Hulu’s “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” was a challenging role for Clarke. He had to perfectly imitate a South Carolina accent, convincingly portray Southern politeness, gain a considerable amount of weight, and deeply understand the mindset of a man capable of such a tragic act.

Clarke enjoyed the difficult task. He explained, “It’s like being a detective, like Sherlock Holmes – you have to figure it out.”

Clarke spent a lot of time trying to understand what Alex was going through – the downfall of his family’s law firm, the scrutiny of his money, the deaths of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, and ultimately, facing trial.

He explained over Zoom in October that the character of Alex really began to consume his thoughts. As Clarke developed the role, he found himself constantly immersed in it – dreaming about Alex, trying to understand his motivations, meticulously reviewing the court case, and even mentally arguing Alex’s defense. He searched for flaws or unfairness in the trial, convinced he could identify what he’d perceived as injustices.

He mostly thought about the upcoming trial – the discussions between Alex and his lawyers, the evidence that would be debated, and Alex’s strong need to prove he’d done the right thing.

I just finished watching the final episode of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” and it’s a truly gripping series. It unpacks the complex, years-long saga of the Murdaugh family, covering everything from the tragic boat accident and the housekeeper’s unexpected death, to some really serious financial issues and, ultimately, the murders of Maggie and Paul. The cast is fantastic, with Clarke playing a central role alongside Patricia Arquette as Maggie, Johnny Berchtold as Paul, and Will Harrison as Buster, Alex’s older son. It’s a wild ride from start to finish.

Television

Hulu’s latest miniseries tells the dramatic, true story of the Murdaughs, a prominent legal family in South Carolina who were at the center of a shocking series of events – including a boat accident, two murders, and various financial crimes.

To fully embody Alex, Clarke did extensive preparation, going beyond just understanding the character’s emotions. He studied recordings from the trial, researched psychology, and worked with a dialect coach. He also made significant physical changes, gaining 40 pounds and using a wig and eyebrow dye instead of prosthetics. This focus on physical transformation was key to bringing the character to life.

I don’t get lost in my roles, but it seems like you are, letting the character change you. You’re starting to become the person you’re portraying – the look, the weight, the clothes, everything. As for me, I am who I am, and I’m willing to fully commit to any part, no matter what it takes.

Jason Clarke often takes on roles portraying real people. He’s previously played figures like Senator Ted Kennedy in the movie “Chappaquiddick,” Jerry West in the HBO series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” Rob Hall in “Everest,” and Roger Robb in “Oppenheimer,” among others.

Movies

Jason Clarke isn’t the kind of actor whose name alone can get a film made. And he recognizes that.

Michael D. Fuller, a co-creator and showrunner of the series, was impressed by Cillian Murphy’s performance in “Oppenheimer” and believed it demonstrated he had the ability to portray the complex character of Alex Murdaugh. Fuller noticed a “physicality, confidence, and masculinity” in Murphy’s performance that he felt would be essential for the role. His intuition proved correct, according to Mandy Matney, the journalist whose podcast inspired the series and who also served as an executive producer. Co-creator Erin Lee Carr shared that Matney often felt a strong, visceral reaction while watching the portrayal, stating she felt like she was truly looking at and speaking with the real Alex Murdaugh.

As a total film buff, I completely agree with what Fuller said about this actor – he’s truly one of the greats we have working today. What always strikes me is how incredibly human he feels on screen, but he also carries this amazing confidence. And then, when a role calls for it, he can be genuinely terrifying! I think that unique combination is exactly why he was the perfect choice for this part; he just brought something special to it.

The series concluded with a major challenge for Clarke, focusing on the dramatic trial of Alex and a full replay of the murders of Maggie and Paul. While these deaths were shown before, the killer remained hidden. The finale revealed Alex as the one responsible.

As a fan, I was really struck by how authentic the courtroom scenes felt. The writers clearly did their research! They actually used lines straight from real court transcripts. There’s this moment where Alex says, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave,” and it’s exactly what he said when the prosecutor pressed him about where he was the night of the murders – it just felt so real and impactful.

Fuller explained that the line was both direct and perfectly accurate. Achieving the right balance between what the characters actually said and adding creative details involved focusing on small, realistic touches to make everything feel genuine and believable.

As a film buff, I found it really interesting how much detail went into getting Alex’s portrayal just right. The director, Clarke, actually started by listening to recordings of the trial before even looking at the video footage. He wanted to pinpoint exactly how Alex spoke – his accent, the rhythm of his speech, everything. He felt recreating key moments from the documentaries, podcasts, and news coverage, and getting the dialogue spot-on, was crucial. His thinking was, if they nailed the look and sound, the rest of the performance would feel much more real and convincing to the audience.

Television

As a movie critic, I’ve rarely seen a real-life event play out with such cinematic flair – and profit. The Alex Murdaugh trial wasn’t just a legal battle; it became a full-blown media spectacle. We saw live coverage booming alongside competing documentary series, and honestly, it felt like everyone was benefiting from the drama – maybe a little too much. It’s a fascinating, if slightly unsettling, example of how true crime can become its own entertainment industry.

Because details about the Murdaughs’ private life – like their family dynamics, marriage, and the events of the night of the murders – weren’t fully known, the filmmakers had to depend on the connection they’d made with viewers to fill in the gaps.

Clarke and the show’s creators wanted a careful but straightforward way to film the murder scene in the final episode. Fuller explained that before filming over two nights, the cast and crew paused to remember the real people affected by the event and to make sure they were portraying it with respect and sensitivity.

When Alex commits the murders, he does so swiftly and with confidence, showing almost no emotion on his face.

Clarke explained that unnecessary actions can ruin everything else you’re trying to achieve. He emphasized the chilling nature of what occurred, stating it was the deed itself that was so impactful.

Clarke explained that filming the scene was difficult and something he didn’t want to repeat often. What affected him most, particularly as a father, was realizing Murdaugh didn’t need to be motivated by hatred or anger to commit the terrible act. Clarke focused on a key moment in the series where Paul sees his father right before the final, devastating action, because he felt it truly captured the horror of the situation.

The actor talked about his role in the 2019 horror film “Pet Sematary,” where he played a father grieving his daughter’s death and struggling with her disturbing return to life. He admitted that these emotionally demanding roles are becoming harder for him to take on, saying he’s not sure how many more he can do.

In the series’ closing scene, Alex is left alone in his jail cell. After playfully deceiving another prisoner, he catches sight of his reflection. Strikingly, his reflection is shown wearing the blue raincoat he had on when Maggie and Paul were killed. This is a nod to the poem “The Man in the Glass”—a poem about honesty and taking responsibility for one’s actions—which the real Murdaugh family actually had displayed in their house.

“The only person he cannot lie to is himself when he’s alone,” Carr said.

Fuller originally envisioned the scene as being more emotionally charged, but Clarke suggested a subtler approach. Clarke felt the audience should be able to draw their own conclusions from the character’s expression, and Fuller ultimately agreed with that idea.

Fuller declined to directly state the character’s emotions, explaining that he remains alive and imprisoned, both within the show’s narrative and in reality.

Once filming finished, Clarke enjoyed a relaxing beach vacation with his family – a welcome break from the stressful escape shown for the character Murdaugh. He was still recovering from the shoot, with red eyebrows and a few extra pounds, and admitted he was feeling a bit raw. However, he eventually got back in shape, his eyebrows returned to normal, and he was able to recapture the positive energy from the set when he needed to do some additional recording. He found himself enjoying playing the confident and charismatic Alex, and appreciated the strong teamwork everyone shared.

He admitted it was painful, but surprisingly, he enjoyed it. “I liked being able to just vanish,” he explained.

Even after all this time, Alex still occasionally slips back into old habits, switching between his natural Australian accent and a noticeable Southern American drawl while he’s talking.

He still enjoys the Southern accent. He mentioned he loves the South Carolinian term ‘bo,’ which is similar to ‘mate,’ and admitted he sometimes still uses it with people who don’t understand, particularly Australians.

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2025-11-19 20:32