Podcast Summary: “Johnny Berchtold on the Complexities of Portraying ‘Paul Murdaugh’”

Podcast: Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast
Original Air Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Luna Shark & USG Audio, with investigative journalist Mandy Matney
Guest: Johnny Berchtold (“Paul Murdaugh” in Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family)

Overview

This episode provides a deep dive into the making of Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family through the eyes of Johnny Berchtold, who plays Paul Murdaugh. Host Mandy Matney, along with the show’s creative team, explores the nuanced and layered performance Berchtold delivers in portraying one of the most complex figures in the Murdaugh saga. The episode examines Paul Murdaugh as both victim and perpetrator, the research and empathy required to capture his truth, behind-the-scenes stories with castmates (including Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke), and the responsibility of respecting real-life victims while recounting such a sensational true-crime story.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Portraying Paul Murdaugh

• Duality of Paul’s Character

  • Paul Murdaugh is depicted as both a product of generational privilege (“affluenza”) and someone whose choices caused great harm.
  • Mandy describes Paul as "a terror to his friends and a menace to the community," while also a victim of his parents’ permissiveness and his family's legacy of unaccountability. (03:00–05:55, 09:09–09:39)
  • Quote – Mandy Matney:

    “He was a victim of not only never facing consequences for his actions, but of understanding this lack of accountability as a birthright.” (04:58)

• Berchtold’s Approach

  • Intensive research: A 400-page binder served as his “bible.”
  • Embracing the “million things can be true at once” philosophy.
  • Quote – Johnny Berchtold:

    “Paul is a perfect example of a million things can be true at once…He was absolutely a victim…but also he made those decisions that had real, actual harm…” (10:28)

2. Preparation & Transformation for the Role

• Immersion

  • Berchtold wasn’t initially a redhead but embraced a total physical transformation, including dyed hair and body hair for authenticity. (11:11–12:47)
  • Detail orientation in costume and set design enhanced realism, even down to armpit hair and background posters.

• Chemistry with Cast

  • Berchtold and Will Harrison (Buster) quickly bonded, with their off-screen friendship fueling authentic portrayal of the brothers’ complex relationship. (15:53–16:54)
  • The entire ensemble formed close relationships outside of filming, helping support each other through emotionally demanding scenes.

3. Family Dynamics: Table Reads & On-Screen Intensity

• The Emotional Dinner Scene (Episode 3, Bahamas)

  • A pivotal family scene: Paul, still reeling from guilt, explodes during what’s supposed to be a fun distraction, exposing raw emotions and family fractures.
  • Memorable Exchange:
    • Elec: “Fuck’s the matter with you…You got any idea what this thing costs?”
    • Paul: “I didn’t ask to fucking come.”
    • “If I'm such a fuck up, why’d you give me the keys to the boat?” (07:42–09:17)
  • Berchtold on filming intense family moments with Patricia Arquette (Maggie) and Jason Clarke (Ellect): “Every day was like a pinch me moment...We’re really putting emphasis on what happens in between the big headline moments—the small, intimate moments.” (22:09)

• On Ensemble Experience

  • Off-camera bonding (e.g., escape rooms with the cast) paralleled the family dynamics they were portraying.
  • Recognizing both the “legend” status and personal generosity of Clarke and Arquette. (22:09–23:59)

4. Exploring Paul’s Relationships

• Paul & Buster
  • Genuine sibling bond and rivalry, “bonded and disconnected at the very same time.” (14:40)
• Paul & Gloria Satterfield
  • The importance of Paul’s bond with Gloria Satterfield (“Gogo”), the family’s housekeeper, and how this humanizes Paul in ways “the headlines miss.” (27:30–28:08)
  • Berchtold: “I don't think you get who Paul is without his relationship with Gloria. And also, it's so important to explore who Gloria was as well...” (28:08)
  • Kathleen Wilhoyt’s portrayal of Gloria and her offscreen bond with Berchtold were crucial to conveying this relationship’s emotional weight.

5. Responsibility of Storytelling Real-Life Tragedies

• Authenticity & Respect

  • The cast and crew were determined not to shy away from the painful aspects of Paul’s story—including the boat crash that killed Mallory Beach—while upholding the dignity of real victims. (41:50)
  • Berchtold: “You have someone who was raised without consequence…something terrible happens…and there's no excuses for it. But to understand that story—being raised without consequence, the idea of kids taking their cues from their parents—THAT is the story of the Murdaughs.” (41:50–43:12)

• Legacy of Generational Privilege

  • The “him or you” mentality from Elec, encapsulating the family’s code of self-preservation.
  • Mandy: “To them, there is only their family. Nothing else matters except the survival of the power and influence that comes attached to their name.” (44:45)

6. Filming at Moselle and Emotional Toll

• Moselle as a Character
  • The Murdaugh family estate, Moselle, becomes an almost living presence in the series, shaping Paul’s dreams and sense of identity. (47:54)
  • Berchtold: “The whole Sunflower storyline…is such a metaphorical arc for him…there's something to be said about working with your hands and building something…he is trying to figure out what to do, how to rebuild.” (48:56–49:35)
• Emotional Residue
  • Berchtold suffered nightmares during filming, evidence of how much the role impacted him psychologically.
  • “I had many dreams. Nightmares. Sometimes not nightmares… I just got so invested emotionally in this story…” (51:58–52:38)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Duality of Paul’s Life:

  “He was a victim of not only never facing consequences for his actions, but of understanding this lack of accountability as a birthright.” – Mandy Matney (04:58)

• Empathy in Portrayal:

  “You want to approach everything as human as possible…two things can be true at once…and Paul is a perfect example…” – Johnny Berchtold (10:28)

• Preparation:

  “They literally handed me a 400-page binder of research. That was my bible.” – Johnny Berchtold (11:11)

• On Precious Small Moments:

  “We’re really putting emphasis on what happens in between the big headline moments—the small, intimate moments…” – Johnny Berchtold (22:09)

• On the Gloria Satterfield Relationship:

  “I don’t think you get who Paul is without his relationship with Gloria. And also, it's so important to explore who Gloria was as well...” – Johnny Berchtold (28:08)

• On Authenticity and Emotional Toll:

  “You just can’t tell the story without showing every side. But it was really hard to go into those moments...There’s a responsibility there...” – Johnny Berchtold (41:50)

Detailed Segment Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00–05:55 | Matney’s background in reporting the Murdaugh case, introducing Paul’s complex reputation. | | 07:42–09:39 | Dramatic Bahamas family scene showcases Paul’s guilt and familial tension. | | 09:40–11:11 | Berchtold shares his pre-existing fascination with the case. | | 11:11–12:47 | Deep-dive on research binder, transforming for the role. | | 14:40–17:00 | Exploration of Buster-Paull sibling dynamic, cast chemistry. | | 17:00–19:33 | Depiction of Murdaugh family gatherings, tension beneath the surface. | | 22:09–24:59 | Working with cast legends (Arquette/Clarke), behind-the-scenes bonding. | | 27:30–30:07 | Emotional importance of the Gloria Satterfield-Paul relationship. | | 33:42–34:29 | Berchtold on Paul’s response to Gloria’s death and integrating it into performance. | | 38:02–41:50 | Portraying the fallout from the boat crash and its emotional repercussions. | | 47:54–49:44 | Moselle’s central importance, working in the sunflower fields. | | 51:58–53:04 | Emotional toll: Nightmares and psychological residue from filming the role. |

Conclusion

Johnny Berchtold brought an intense level of empathy, research, and emotional transparency to his portrayal of Paul Murdaugh, embodying both the character’s vulnerability and flaws. The podcast demonstrates how both the creative team and cast were deeply committed to reflecting the truth and humanity behind the headlines, never shying away from the tragedy, but also not avoiding the possibility of redemption and complexity.

Essential Theme:
The episode, like the series, is less about judging the Murdaugh family than about illuminating the gray zones between privilege, accountability, trauma, and love, both within a family and a community forever changed by the events depicted.