Inside Anthony Perkins' life from Psycho 'curse' to wife's tragic 9/11 death

Following the release of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Netflix fans have been revisiting some horror movies that drew inspiration from the killer, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

The 1960 picture, considered to be one of the best horror films ever made, also turned Norman Bates actor Anthony Perkins into a star.

The late actor is remembered well for his iconic role and his family is still a part of Hollywood thanks to his son, actor and director Oz Perkins.

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However, Anthony also faced a lot of struggles throughout the course of his life, with his son even later describing his largest role as a “curse”.

Was Anthony Perkins’ role in Psycho inspired by Ed Gein?

Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story suggests that Ed Gein’s horrific crimes inspired the novel and adaptation of Psycho, as Norman Bates has a similar relationship with his mother that Gein had in real life.

After Augusta Gein’s death, her son preserved and boarded up the rooms she used, making a shrine to his late mother.

In the show, we even see Alfred Hitchcock and author Robert Bloch discussing Gein's crimes in great detail, with the director showing Anthony Perkins a recreation of Geins' home.

The Netflix series "tells the story of how one simple man in Plainfield, Wisconsin, became history's most singular ghoul. He revealed to the world the most horrific truth of all - that monsters aren't born, they're made... by us.”

Anthony Perkins’ career after Alfred Hitchcock and Norman Bates

Before appearing in Psycho, Anthony Perkins also starred in the William Wyler movie Friendly Persuasion, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

The success of 1960s Psycho arguably led to Anthony being typecast, and the actor chose to buy out his Paramount contract and move to France, where he made his European film debut in 1961’s Goodbye Again.

In 1968, he returned to Hollywood and appeared in Pretty Poison that year, before starring in several critically-acclaimed films including Catch-22 and Murder on the Orient Express.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Anthony’s son Oz Perkins has described Anthony’s Psycho role as “a curse”.

He said: “In the mythology of my family, the Psycho thing was considered far more of a curse than not. I don't think we ever had the family meeting where we all decided this was the story.

“But here's a young actor, an extremely beautiful young man who can play anything. He's really good. And he's doing this sort of matinee idol thing.

“He's playing cowboys and basketball players and baseball players, and he's real. Girls love him. Then this important part comes his way, which is so kind of dangerously close to who he actually was."

He added: “It's funny because I look at a lot of my dad's later performances and I find them very stilted and kind of strangely done, whereas the early stuff is really so impeccable. But I feel like the rock comes up, the bugs scatter, and that was Psycho.”

Anthony Perkins’ secret behind-scenes struggle

While Anthony Perkins became a huge success following his Psycho fame, American conservatism at the time meant that he was forced to hide his sexuality throughout his Hollywood career.

The star, who later married a woman, previously had relationships with actors Tab Hunter and Grover Dale, but this was all kept under wraps.

Asked whether he was surprised to learn these truths about his father as an adult, Anthony’s son Oz Perkins told the Irish Times: “The surprise about it was that it was no surprise. Right? The surprise was that we hadn’t been talked to about it.

“I don’t know who would have that talk. Maybe, even today, I’m not sure how that conversation goes for people whose public lives don’t allow it. I don’t know how that conversation happens with children.

“I certainly don’t blame anybody. But I do think that a gauze was put over everything – a membrane. Everybody seemed to know it. Certainly all of their friends. It wasn’t like [top agent] Sue Mengers and [top director] Mike Nichols were like: ‘Oh, really? You’re kidding?’”

He added: “It’s such a weird thing because, even in today’s context, it’s not safe to be that way. It’s still not safe to be gay and a movie star unless you’re going to be a ‘gay movie star’.”

Anthony Perkins’ wife and tragic death

Anthony Perkins married his wife, actress Berry Berenson, in 1973 and the pair welcomed two children.

Berry and Anthony starred opposite each other in the 1978 Alan Rudolph film Remember My Name, and she also appeared with Jeff Bridges in 1979’s Winter Kills and Malcolm McDowell in 1982’s Cat People.

The pair remained married until Anthony sadly died from Aids-related pneumonia in 1992.

Tragically, Berry was killed nine years later as a plane passenger during the 9/11 attacks when American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Anthony Perkins’ sons and family legacy

The late Anthony Perkins is survived by two sons: Oz Perkins, 51, and Elvis, 49.

Oz began his career as a child actor, playing a younger version of his father’s character Norman Bates in 1983’s Psycho II and later appearing in films like 2001’s Legally Blonde and 2009’s Star Trek.

He is now best known for his work as a director, having helmed such horror films as 2020’s Gretel and Hansel, 2024’s Longlegs and 2025’s The Monkey.

Meanwhile, Elvis is an American folk-rock musician who released his first debut album, Ash Wednesday, in 2007.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream on Netflix.