Viewers shocked by Bill Pullman's performance as Alex Murdaugh in Lifetime movie

On the heels of all the public interest in Alex Murdaugh and the mysteries surrounding his family, documented in series like Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal on Netflix, Lifetime decided to turn this true crime saga into a two-part movie, Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, with Bill Pullman portraying Alex Murdaugh. 

The roughly four-hour movie event pulls the curtain back on Murdaugh, a man who was convicted earlier in 2023 of the murder of his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul. Although the attorney was once seen as a pillar of his small South Carolina town, and the Murdaugh family name once represented the Southern elite, things quickly unraveled for Alex as legal troubles plagued his son after a boating accident, Alex's clients complained of discrepancies with money and his battle with opioids fueled a series of bad decisions.  

Now when the Lifetime film debuted on October 14 and October 15, it immediately drew polarizing opinions from viewers. Some strongly felt it was a good investment of their time and had no problem sharing their approval. Others were quick to pan it, claiming it was "so bad," which is one of the more gentle critiques.

One thing viewers were less divided about was the actual performance of Pullman as Murdaugh. Many applauded his ability to convey the complex layers of the formal legal bigwig. What appears to have stuck out most for these audience members was Pullman's ability to nail down Murdaugh's unique way of talking. From capturing his tone to correctly embodying Murdaugh's specific southern accent, Pullman left viewers pleasantly surprised. 

To help draw comparisons between Bill Pullman's portrayal and the real Murdaugh, we took a look at the following trailer for Lifetime's Murdaugh Murders: The Movie and a snippet of Murdaugh speaking in open court. We have to say, Pullman's voice in the movie is eerily similar to the real-life inspiration.  

Bill Pullman in Lifetime's Murdaugh Murders: The Movie earns applause from fans

Here are just a few of the tweets we found from fans who were convinced by Pullman's portrayal of Alex Murdaugh. Again, the actor may have done such a good job in the role that he startled some viewers, even "creeping" them out. 

You can watch Murdaugh Murders: The Movie for free, as it is currently streaming on Lifetime.com.