Gerald McRaney Brings Depth to Murdaugh Patriarch in Hulu Series

In Hulu’s gripping limited series “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” veteran actor Gerald McRaney took on the challenging role of portraying Randolph Murdaugh III, the patriarch of a powerful South Carolina legal dynasty that collapsed under the weight of scandal and murder. At 78, McRaney approached this complex character with thoughtful consideration, recognizing that to understand the Murdaugh family tragedy required examining how unchecked power and privilege can corrupt across generations. “There was a generational indulgence of prodigal sons,” McRaney explained in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “Every generation got a little bit deeper into trouble. And when you don’t hold people to account when they’re children, then no one holds them to account until they’re in a court of law.” This insight became central to his portrayal of Randolph, a man whose determination to maintain the family’s prestigious image ultimately contributed to its downfall.

The Murdaugh family commanded extraordinary influence over South Carolina’s judicial system for nearly a century, with three generations serving as solicitors for the state’s 14th Circuit while simultaneously running a lucrative private law practice in Hampton County. This carefully cultivated façade of respectability began to crumble following a 2019 boating accident involving Paul Murdaugh, Randolph’s grandson, which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. The situation deteriorated further when Alex Murdaugh, Randolph’s son, was charged with murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul in 2021. Prosecutors successfully argued that Alex committed these horrific crimes to divert attention from financial improprieties that threatened to become public. McRaney viewed Alex’s actions through a particularly harsh lens, stating, “You were dealing with a man who had no soul. Everything was done to impress other people with his success. It didn’t matter how he got that sort of approval.” The actor’s assessment points to the hollow center of the family’s pursuit of status at any cost.

While preparing to embody Randolph Murdaugh III, McRaney approached the character not as a villain but as a deeply flawed man blinded by pride and the desperate need to maintain appearances. “It was out of ego for himself, to have people think that his children were perfect,” he reflected. “People aren’t perfect. When you have to maintain that image, you’re asking for trouble.” This perspective allowed McRaney to humanize a character who might otherwise have been portrayed as simply controlling or malevolent. He recognized the universal parental instinct to protect one’s children while highlighting how this natural impulse can become destructive when it devolves into protecting an illusion rather than addressing reality. “You do want to defend your children all the time. You don’t want bad things to happen to them,” McRaney acknowledged, adding that this instinct “can turn destructive when it becomes about protecting an illusion.” This nuanced understanding helped create a more three-dimensional portrayal of a man caught in a web of his own making.

Though the Murdaugh saga unfolded in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, the Hulu production was filmed entirely in Georgia—a detail that McRaney found disappointing, particularly since his daughter lives in Beaufort, not far from where the actual events took place. “We filmed everything in the Atlanta area. I would rather have done it in South Carolina,” he said. Despite this geographical displacement, McRaney praised the production team’s commitment to authenticity, noting their meticulous research and attention to detail, down to matching costumes with photographs from specific days during the case. “They did a lot of research, even matching wardrobe to photographs taken on particular days while the case was going on,” he explained. “It was very detailed. Most people probably won’t notice, but for me, it helped in the acting process.” This dedication to accuracy contributed to the series’ credibility and impact, allowing viewers to focus on the human drama rather than production inconsistencies.

Beyond the specific tragedy of the Murdaugh family, McRaney sees their story as symptomatic of broader moral erosion in contemporary society. “We’ve become too indulgent with people and we don’t hold them to account,” he observed, drawing parallels to patterns he sees in criminal justice failures. “You read all these stories of a guy who finally commits murder after being given probation for assault or burglary. He was never held to account until it’s too late.” The actor also offered a more controversial perspective on cultural shifts, suggesting, “We’ve sort of taken religion, whatever your religion might be, out of our culture. Religion used to hold two things: hope for people who were down, and judgment for people who were evil. People don’t believe that anymore. And when they don’t, justice becomes just a matter of luck.” While some might disagree with this assessment, it reflects McRaney’s attempt to contextualize the Murdaugh story within larger social trends and values.

Despite the dark subject matter of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” McRaney found the role surprisingly accessible, crediting the show’s success to its restraint and refusal to sensationalize an already sensational story. “They didn’t over-dramatize things,” he said. “You’re dealing with a story that doesn’t need to be dramatized. Just tell the story, and it works.” The seven-episode series premiered on Hulu in October and quickly climbed the platform’s rankings before reaching its finale on November 19. At 78, McRaney demonstrates the same discipline in his personal life that he brings to his craft, maintaining a strict fitness routine that includes stretching, calisthenics, and daily walks by the lake near his home. “If you stop, then you stop,” he explained, referencing his determination to remain active in both body and career. “I’ve known too many people who retired and then just disappeared.” This philosophy of continued engagement has served him well throughout a long and distinguished acting career, allowing him to bring depth and humanity to complicated characters like Randolph Murdaugh III—a man whose pursuit of power and prestige ultimately contributed to his family’s spectacular downfall.