Mindhunter

Context & Significance

Netflix’s Mindhunter, created by Joe Penhall and executive produced by Academy Award nominee David Fincher and Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, is a psychological crime drama based on real-life FBI criminal profiling in the late 1970s. Mindhunter offered a stark contrast to traditional crime procedurals, prioritizing psychological tension over gory spectacle. The show’s character-driven storytelling made it a benchmark for prestige television, offering actors the opportunity to explore complex psychological portraits.

After the first season, I jokingly told the casting director—who regularly auditioned me for other shows she was casting—that I had never in my life wanted to be a “creepy white guy” until finishing the first season of Mindhunter. At the time, I was unfamiliar with any Black serial killers and couldn’t have imagined that within months I’d be playing one. After years of auditioning for co-star and functional guest spots, my audition for this project marked a shift in my cachet with casting. The production team was looking for actors who could handle the demands of the role and who bore a passable resemblance to the people chronicled. For the audition, I received an eight-page scene that was primarily a monologue detailing the brutal murders of several sex workers. I submitted a tape and was pinned (put on hold pending producer and network approval) within days. It would take two weeks to get final network approval.

My Role & Artistic Contribution

I played William Henry Hance, a serial offender whose crimes were shaped by a combination of racial dynamics, psychological instability, and a deeply fractured justice system. Once I booked the role, I understood immediately that portraying a historical figure whose life and crimes, both disturbing and emblematic of broader societal issues, would require a delicate balance between authenticity and ethical responsibility.

The scarcity of information about Hance’s life (there were no video or audio recordings available) required me to do a significant amount of investigative work. I scoured court reports, newspaper articles, and interviews for clues from those who knew him in order to gain a holistic view of his life. Unlike standard villain portrayals, Hance was not a criminal mastermind but a deeply troubled man whose actions likely stemmed as much from systemic failures as his reported mental illness.

My approach was to humanize without excusing, in hopes that my performance would acknowledge the gravity of his crimes while also offering a glimpse into the conditions that likely precipitated them. This required research—not just into Hance’s case, but also the broader context of criminal profiling, where the specter of racial bias in law enforcement, and portrayals of Black offenders in media had to be taken into consideration.

Fortunately, the production team was committed to historical accuracy. Between their detailed work (hair and makeup, wardrobe, art direction, and script support) and my diligent search for any and all clues into who Hance was, the work proved both challenging and incredibly exciting.

Working under David Fincher’s infamously meticulous direction provided a unique artistic challenge. Known for precision and his penchant for demanding dozens of takes to refine the minutest details, Fincher had long been a dream collaborator of mine. His work on Se7en, Gone Girl, Fight Club, and Zodiac changed the way I viewed crime cinema, and getting to work closely with him on a show like Mindhunter exceeded my wildest expectations. I was flown from New York to Pittsburgh a month before filming to conduct wardrobe, hair, and screen tests. We had a lengthy tablework session where the cast, writers, and producers pored over the script. This resulted in Fincher deciding my scenes would have to be completely rewritten. When I returned a month later, my interview scene had grown to 12 or 15 pages. The process pushed me to hone my ability to maintain emotional truth and psychological complexity across approximately 40 takes, ensuring that every moment remained raw, present, and specific.

Creative Challenges & Process

The most significant challenge of this role was navigating the psychological discomfort of portraying a character with such a tragically disturbing legacy. As I worked to find his dialect, cadence, and physicality, I found myself unsettled by the ethical implications of embodying a convicted murderer for entertainment. I also struggled to craft a truthful portrayal of someone the writers seemed to primarily view as a plot device. Striking a balance between respecting the implications of Hance’s social status and mental health and delivering an honest portrayal demanded a level of sensitivity and responsibility beyond standard character work. My goal was always complete transformation, to avoid caricature and convincingly embody the complexities of the man within the murderer.

A particularly exciting challenge was adapting to the show’s deliberate pacing and controlled tone. Unlike fast-paced crime dramas, Mindhunter thrives on silence and subtle gestures. The role required me to rely on controlled physicality and an ability to sustain tension without overt dramatization. I was in very close proximity to my co-stars, Jonathan Groff and Albert Jones, and Fincher had a precise vision for how our characters interacted. My performance had to feel lived-in, as though the audience was eavesdropping on a private interrogation. I believe my extensive preparation allowed me to deliver just that.

Reception & Impact

   – Mindhunter was critically acclaimed for its nuanced writing, historical accuracy, and Fincher’s directorial precision.

   – The show has maintained a cult following, with continued discourse about its real-life cases and performances.

   – My episode was noted for its unsettling interrogation sequences, highlighting the psychological depth of the series.

   – Mindhunter’s continued availability on Netflix ensures that the performance remains part of the evolving conversation around true crime storytelling.

Connection to My Research & Teaching

My work in Mindhunter has been instrumental in my research and pedagogy, particularly in courses related to:

   – Psychological realism in performance—balancing truth and restraint while portraying deeply flawed characters.

   – Ethics in acting—responsibly navigating the portrayal of a real-world figure.

   – On-camera technique—adapting to a director’s specific aesthetic and working within the framework of high-stakes, meticulous filmmaking.

The experience of working within Fincher’s precise, measured style directly impacts how I teach my students about the demands of prestige television, from the technical challenges of multiple takes to the psychological demands of inhabiting a character over an extended shoot.

Why This Work is Significant in My Portfolio

My performance in Mindhunter stands as a testament to my ability to execute psychologically complex storytelling within the confines of high-caliber, auteur-driven television. It allowed me to navigate the ethical and technical challenges of portraying real-world figures, deepening my artistic and pedagogical inquiry into responsible representation in media.