Actress Bea Alonzo recently came under fire after dressing as Lyle Menendez, one of the infamous Menendez brothers convicted of killing their parents, for Halloween.
The Menendez case has returned to public focus, with recent documentaries re-examining their 1996 convictions and exploring the alleged abuse they endured from their father.
Alonzo posted photos of her Halloween costume on Instagram on November 1, captioning the now-deleted image, “Call me Lyle,” along with the hashtag “#Halloween2024.” Although the initial post was taken down, Alonzo later shared another image in her Instagram Stories, tagging her styling and makeup team, including makeup artist Mark Kingson Qua.
View this post on Instagram
The costume quickly sparked criticism across social media. Many netizens voiced disappointment and disapproval, deeming the portrayal “insensitive” and “disturbing.” Commenters on Alonzo’s Instagram posts expressed concern about her choice, calling it “tone-deaf” and noting that the portrayal trivializes a real-life case involving abuse and trauma.
Adding to the criticism, a Facebook support group for Lyle Menendez condemned costumes that reference survivors of abuse. “People dressing up as survivors for Halloween is utterly disgusting,” read a post from the group. “Lyle and Erik are not characters; they are real people who have been suffering trauma since the day they were born.”
As of now, Alonzo has not addressed the controversy publicly. The Menendez brothers’ case remains a focal point of public discussion, with advocates calling for increased sensitivity surrounding portrayals of real-life trauma.
