Matthew Morrison Says He Came ‘A Long Way From the Choir Room’ to Play Killer Doctor in ‘The Monster She Married’

Matthew Morrison likes a challenge. After many years of largely being known for “good guy” roles like Glee’s Will Schuester, audiences will soon get to see him play a character that’s both undeniably evil and disturbing in Lifetime’s new true-crime thriller The Monster She Married.

“As an actor, it asks something very different of me, and I welcome that challenge,” Morrison, 47, tells MyLifetime. “I don’t get called to do this kind of part very often. So for me, when it does come, it’s just exciting.” 

Based on the book Fatal Prescription: A Doctor Without Remorse by John Griffiths, the made-for-television feature follows a woman named Shelley Charalambous (Molly Saunders), who had been groomed since she was a teenager by her doctor-turned-husband Joseph Charalambous (Morrison). Eventually, Shelley has no choice but to face the dark truth regarding who her husband really is after avoiding doing so for years.

The story is based on real-life Canadian doctor Josephakis “Joe” Charalambous. In an effort to evade testifying about his sexual abuse, he hired a hit man to murder former patient Sian Simmonds. He was convicted in 1994 of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole eligibility for 25 years. He lost his latest attempt at parole in 2025.

“What interests me was the trust that Joseph was able to gain and how he uses it or misuses it,” Morrison, who shares son Revel James, 8, and daughter Phoenix Monroe, 5, with wife Renee Puente, says. “I think his outward charm is part of what makes the story so unsettling.”

Lifetime's The Monster She Married premieres Saturday, October 10, at 8 p.m. ET. Ahead of its debut, read what Morrison has to say about his dark new role—and his other upcoming career endeavors. 

Were you familiar with the real-life case prior to joining the project? 

No. Learning that it was based on a true story immediately gave it a different weight for me. I prepare how I prepare always, but what mattered to me was keeping the people affected in mind while I was in my preparation process. Yes, you’re making a film, but you’re also portraying something that people actually live through, and I think that deserves just a little more care.

I’ve known you to play more good guys and Joseph is definitely a bad person, but he doesn’t necessarily see himself as the villain in his own story. What did you have to believe about him in order to go about playing someone like this? What challenges came up for you during that process?

There’s just a sense of responsibility. I’m conscious that a dramatization is one version of a story, and that the real people’s lives extend far beyond what we can show on the screen. I still have to do the work in understanding the character, but also understanding that his behavior doesn’t mean excusing it. I think that distinction really matters a great deal when it comes to this role. I also wanted to portray this guy as someone who was so charming, because that’s the reality of it. I wanted to portray that honestly while never losing sight of the actual harm he caused.

There are a lot of intense scenes in this film. At any point, did your own performance ever scare you?

Yeah, there’s a couple particular scenes where it got a little violent, and that’s so not my nature. [What] was really cool about this process was Molly, who plays the central character Shelley, we didn't know each other. I wanted to get to know her before we even started shooting just because the material is so sensitive. So, we had a lovely lunch, and then we had one day between that lunch and when we actually started filming. And at lunch, we’re like, “Would you want to meet up tomorrow and just go through all the scenes?” We got to go through every single scene [and] talk about them. 

I’m from the theater world, and we have so much rehearsal. A film set is so different. You show up, hopefully you know the lines and you’re expected to go out and just do it. So the fact that we got that day in to really understand where each other were coming from with the roles and what we wanted to come across, it was so enlightening.

What was it like building those tense dynamics with Molly Saunders? How did you two lean on each other on the heavier days of filming?

It’s an interesting thing because I want to protect her in real life. I want to make sure I have care for her and that she knows that.  But also, I want to let myself be able to go there and go a little off the track a little bit. There were some things that surprised me that came up that were a little unsettling, but then after they yelled “cut,” I would immediately check in on her. I was like, “Are you okay?” And, “How are you feeling?” There were times where she would get so worked up from what just happened, she would need a little space. And I was like, “I got you. Take your space.” So, it was intense. As an actor, that’s what you want. You want to create this place that feels real and feels authentic and genuine and really go there. But then, also be able to be like, “I got you. I trust you.” And you know, go have a beer afterwards.

How do you separate yourself from a character like this once the cameras stop rolling? 

I never have that problem of disassociating myself from a character. I can go to that place, and then I’m joking around on set. In this sense, I'm definitely a long way from the choir room. There was that added sense of responsibility for this role in particular. What was so interesting was the trust aspect of it. He’s a doctor, and of course, that’s someone you’re supposed to trust. 

I was interested in the compassion we bring to Shelley. For me, her story [was more interesting] in this whole thing. I think it's easy to look at someone in that situation and ask, why didn’t they leave? You're just like, it was so obvious. But I hope the audience can consider what she was actually facing and what support she needed. I think that’s the thing we don’t look at. For me, the reason to tell this story is to bring attention to the people affected and also the cost of abuse. 

One of the things that I loved most about this film is that we don’t see the abuse happen, but it’s very much understood that this is what’s happening. Why do you think this choice was the right way to go?

I had a lot of questions about the script when we started. It was important for me to understand why she would even be in this situation to begin with. Like, who is the man she actually fell in love with? I needed to really portray this guy as someone you could trust that was honorable that really wanted to take care of her—initially that was probably his mindset. He didn’t go into the whole thing twirling his mustache, like, “What am I gonna do?” If we don’t believe why she would be with him in the first place, then why are we even telling the story? 

Even though the events tied to this case transpired in the ‘90s, this story remains a timely one. If there’s one lesson you hope viewers walk away with after seeing this film, what would that be?

This is a disturbing story. I’m conscious of how we talk about it. I don’t want the violence of the story to be like the selling point. What matters to me is the human cost: the people affected, the trust that was betrayed and Shelley finding her voice. That’s where I hope we can keep the attention.

At this stage in your career, what’s most important to you about the roles you now decide to take on?

I’m really, really, lucky because I’m such a present and proactive father, and that’s the most important thing in my life right now. It really takes something exceptional for me to be like, OK, I’m gonna peace out for a couple weeks or whatever it is. This kind of role doesn’t come my way very often, and I love it. I love diving into these kinds of characters because it stretches me as an actor. It really lets me explore something in myself, because this is so far from who I am as a person. I’m an optimist. I’m really just [a] gentle human being, and to dive into something like this is confronting, but in the most beautiful way.

But then, in a couple weeks, I get to play Bobby Darin on Broadway, and that’s just joyful. I mean, he’s got demons and all this stuff, too. I just love where I’m at in my career right now. Music’s coming. I have my solo concert that I do all over the world right now called Show Up. That really allows me to be myself on stage and to connect with an audience as myself. It’s me just singing songs that I love and really working these beautiful stories of my life into this show. It’s stories that I’ve created that will hopefully resonate with you as an audience member and bring you and your journey into the show. I’m just finding things that really make me feel alive and connected to myself.

How are you preparing for your big Just In Time return? Are there any surprising training methods on your end? 

I got to do the role in April for three weeks, and that three weeks is such a beautiful amount of time because usually when you do a Broadway show, you have to sign up for a year of your life. Now, I’ve been away for a few months, and they asked me to come back for another three weeks, which first of all is great because they must have liked what I’ve done. So, I’m like, “You're doing all right.” But to come back, knowing the role already—it’s already in my body and my bones—I can really dive into it in a way that I have ownership of it. I’m not like, "Am I doing this right?" I’m really excited to jump back into this role, and it’s a beast. I never leave the stage. I sing 17 songs. It’s a really, really, challenging role, and I’m no spring chicken anymore, so I feel it more than I ever have, but also that’s my community. 

My first Broadway show was at 19 years old, and I went through the ranks of being in the ensemble and then going up and getting supporting roles and then leading roles. To be able to come back as a father, as a husband, it just feels like a beautiful moment that I’m really, really, excited to [do].

You’re heading to Gleek Con next year with some of your former co-stars. What can you share about the enduring bond between the Glee family in the years since the show ended?

There hasn’t been any group chatter about Gleek Con yet. I’ve reached out to a few of the people individually, and we’re very excited to see each other in Paris. I usually connect with the Broadway folks. You know, the people who are doing theater, like Darren [Criss], Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz. I flew over to London to see Amber Riley do Dream Girls, which was incredible. But for me, there is such a tie to my character on that show. I have such a sense of pride for my kids. They’re all doing so well, and I’m just the biggest fan of all of them, especially those of them who are finding their voice in the theater. Before Glee, they weren’t really theater people, so, it’s really cool to kind of witness the journey for each of them. 

Lastly, I’m sure you have heard Ryan Murphy revealing he just finished a script for a potential Glee revival series. Have you spoken with Ryan at all about this? Would you want to return?

I’m gonna need a signed permission slip before I answer any of these questions! I don’t want to say too much about it. The prospect of being together with the whole crew again is exciting. There’s no real tie to what this could be, but it’s interesting. I don't know what’s gonna happen. We’re just waiting to find out what the next steps are.