Director Max Winkler says his collaboration with Ryan Murphy has let him bring the careful, distinctive approach of his indie films to television and expand his career. He has directed episodes and executive produced shows such as “Monster” and “Love Story.”
After “Flower” was warmly received, Winkler’s boxing drama “Jungleland” earned solid reviews and appeared to have commercial and awards potential after its Toronto International Film Festival debut. He said it was released in theaters during COVID-19 as part of what he called a “junk deal” by its financier to sell it to Paramount. He was broke, had just bought a house, and his wife was pregnant; he said financial pressure led him to take work for income and stop trying to emulate Paul Thomas Anderson.
Winkler began directing episodes of “American Horror Stories” and “American Horror Story” in 2021. For “Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story,” he said he was drawn to the writing, dark humor and portrayal of Lizzie. Charlie Hunnam said Winkler’s laughter behind the monitor helped the cast judge whether the comic tone was working, while Ella Beatty, who plays Lizzie, said his openness gave her room to experiment.
