Is Hulu's 'Murdaugh: Death in the Family' a True Story? Convicted Alex Mardaugh Speaks of His Disappointment

Is Hulu's Murdaugh: Death in the Family really based on a true story? Yes — but not in the way its subject, convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, would agree with. The eight-part drama, which premiered on 15 October, is a scripted retelling of the rise and catastrophic fall of South Carolina's most infamous legal dynasty. Starring Jason Clarke as Murdaugh and Patricia Arquette as his wife Maggie, the series dramatizes the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, the subsequent investigations, and the unraveling of Alex's secret life of fraud and addiction.

Yet according to Murdaugh himself, the show distorts reality. Speaking through his attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, the disbarred attorney said he is 'deeply disappointed and disturbed by the recent Hulu streaming series about him and the entire Murdaugh family' and accused producers of creating 'numerous inaccuracies and misleading portrayals that distort the truth of their lives.'

'A Mischaracterization of Love and Family'

In his statement, Murdaugh expressed anger over how the series depicted his relationships with his late wife and son, saying it 'totally mischaracterizes Alex's relationships with his wife Maggie and his son Paul, both of whom Alex loves so dearly.'

His lawyers further claimed that no one from Hulu contacted the Murdaugh family or defence team before production, and that the show instead relied on 'sensationalised accounts from secondary sources with no direct knowledge.'

The disgraced lawyer's response comes as the show tops Hulu's drama charts. Murdaugh, currently serving two life sentences for the 2021 murders of his wife and son — plus 40 years for financial crimes — maintains his innocence and is appealing his conviction. His team says that Murdaugh: Death in the Family adds 'insult to tragedy', further damaging the family's reputation while ongoing appeals remain active.

A Story That Shook the South

The real-life Murdaugh case began on 7 June 2021, when Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report that his wife and son had been shot dead near the dog kennels on their rural estate in Colleton County, South Carolina. As investigators peeled back the layers of his life, they discovered years of embezzlement, opioid abuse, and an elaborate failed attempt at a staged suicide for insurance fraud.

In March 2023, a South Carolina jury found Murdaugh guilty of both murders, sentencing him to life without parole. Prosecutors later revealed that his financial crimes exceeded $8 million, stolen from clients and family friends. The case drew national attention for its themes of privilege, deceit, and the fall of a once-untouchable Southern dynasty — a narrative Hulu's series leans into heavily.

Actor Jason Clarke, who plays Murdaugh, said he didn't consult the convicted lawyer but tried to portray him as 'charming, loving, deceitful, and deeply flawed' — someone who 'deceived not just his family, but an entire community'. The actor added that his goal was not to humanise Murdaugh's crimes, but to explore how power and corruption can coexist with outward respectability.

Truth, Tragedy, and the Limits of Dramatization

Hulu has yet to respond to Murdaugh's criticisms, but legal analysts note that dramatizations of ongoing cases often walk a fine line between accuracy and creative licence. Murdaugh: Death in the Family compresses years of complex investigation into eight hours of scripted television, blending courtroom footage, fictionalised dialogue, and composite characters.

For now, Murdaugh remains behind bars in South Carolina, continuing to claim innocence while appealing both his murder and financial convictions. As for the Hulu series, it remains a cultural flashpoint — one that raises a timeless question: when true crime becomes entertainment, whose truth gets told?