Cooper Koch soaks up the sun in poolside snaps taken before Emmys
The Monsters actor looked relaxed while hanging out at the Chateau Marmont, first wrapped in a towel before switching into bright yellow swim shorts
By Callum Wells
Cooper Koch looked happy and relaxed as he posed for poolside snaps before the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (14 September).
The Monsters actor and his boyfriend Stuart McClave spent some downtime with indie singer Sedona at the Chateau Marmont before stepping onto the red carpet.
In snaps shared to Sedona’s Instagram Stories, Koch is seen wrapped in a towel before switching into bright yellow swim shorts whilst soaking up the sun.
“He is not my boyfriend he has a BOYFRIEND” – indie singer Sedona in her caption
Alongside them, she affectionately wrote “Coopy” with a heart doodle, before clarifying: “he is not my boyfriend he has a BOYFRIEND.” Later, the trio were seen taking selfies together while lounging on a bed, ahead of McClave and Koch heading off to the Emmys.
Koch was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his acclaimed portrayal of Erik Menendez. The performance has already earned him critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film.
In interviews, he has spoken often about the responsibility he felt portraying someone as publicly dissected and controversial as Erik. He did deep preparatory work, reading source materials (including The Menendez Murders by Robert Rand, They Said We’d Never Make It by Erik’s wife, Tammi Menendez), watching hours of testimony online, and working to capture Erik’s voice, mannerisms, and story.
One episode that’s been especially talked about is ‘The Hurt Man’, a 34-minute one-take monologue in which Erik recounts his abuse. It’s been widely praised, both for its technical ambition and emotional weight.
Meeting Lyle Menendez with Kim Kardashian
Koch also spoke about meeting Erik and Lyle Menendez in prison, alongside Kim Kardashian, and described how preparing for the role led to a genuine empathy and connection.
He told Variety in 2024: “I got to have a really good conversation with him and tell him that I believe him and I did everything I could as an actor to advocate for him and portray him as authentically as possible, and that I think the show does a really good job of representing him.
“We had a really nice conversation. We talked about other things like I went to Calabasas High School, which is where he went when he first moved to California. My father graduated Beverly Hills High School the year before Erik got there. We have all of these weird parallels.”