Cooper Koch, star of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, stepped out on the red carpet with his boyfriend, Stuart McClave, for the first time at the 2025 Golden Globes.
The openly gay actor received a nomination for his performance in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix anthology series, which tackled the controversial case of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. The series delved into the brothers’ defence, which alleged years of sexual abuse by their father. Both siblings are serving life sentences.
Koch portrayed Erik Menendez, the younger of the two brothers, and despite initially declining to reprise the role, he earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Limited Series. While the 28-year-old actor celebrated his first Golden Globe nomination, the award ultimately went to Colin Farrell for his role in The Penguin.
The Golden Globes event also marked the debut red carpet appearance of Koch’s partner, Stuart McClave, who typically keeps a low profile about his personal life. McClave, however, is no stranger to the entertainment industry. He is a filmmaker, director, producer, and writer with an impressive portfolio of projects, including Covert Kitchens, How Booze Built America, and World’s Toughest Trucker. His most notable work is the 2022 documentary On the Line: The Richard Williams Story, which chronicles the life of Venus and Serena Williams’ father and coach, Richard Williams.
Koch first publicly acknowledged McClave in December 2024 during GQ Australia’s Man of the Year event, where he referred to McClave as his “partner” in a heartfelt moment.
While Koch sparked marriage rumours after being spotted with a ring on his wedding finger at the 2024 Emmy Awards, he clarified the situation during an appearance on Andy Cohen Live. The actor explained that the ring belonged to his late grandfather.
“We were getting ready, and I didn’t have any jewellery on. My boyfriend and I went into my room, and I found my grandfather’s ring. I decided to wear it as a kind of romantic, protective gesture,” he shared. Koch added that the placement on his ring finger was simply a spontaneous decision.
