Who Is Lizzie Borden? Meet the Cast of Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and What to Watch Next
Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story brings one of America’s most infamous murder mysteries back into the spotlight. Led by Ella Beatty, the fourth installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology follows Lizzie Borden, a Massachusetts woman accused of killing her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892. She was acquitted at trial, but public suspicion never really disappeared. Now, Netflix turns the case into a dark psychological drama filled with family tension, forbidden desire, violence, and questions about what makes someone a monster. The eight-episode series premiered on September 17, 2026, and is now streaming on Netflix.
What Is Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story About?
Set primarily in Victorian-era New England, the series follows Lizzie Borden, a young woman living under the strict control of her wealthy father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby.
Lizzie’s life begins to change when Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan, a new live-in maid, enters the household. Their relationship becomes increasingly intimate, offering Lizzie an escape from the restrictions imposed on her. But as resentment, desire, and anger intensify, the household becomes the setting for a horrifying double murder.
The story then follows the investigation, the courtroom drama, and the public fascination that transforms Lizzie into an enduring cultural figure. It also reaches beyond the original case, connecting her legacy to another infamous American killer, Aileen Wuornos.
Unlike a conventional whodunit, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is interested in a more unsettling question: What if the circumstances surrounding a suspected killer matter just as much as the crime itself?
The series draws on real people and historical events, but it also takes substantial creative liberties. Its depiction of Lizzie’s intimate relationship with Maggie, in particular, should not be mistaken for an established historical fact.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Cast and Characters
The season brings together rising talent, acclaimed character actors, and familiar faces from Ryan Murphy’s television universe.
| Actor | Character | Why They Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Ella Beatty | Lizzie Borden | The central figure whose psychological transformation drives the season. |
| Vicky Krieps | Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan / Elizabeth Báthory | Lizzie’s maid and confidante, plus a second role in the show’s historical flashbacks. |
| Charlie Hunnam | Andrew Borden | Lizzie’s wealthy, controlling father. |
| Rebecca Hall | Abby Borden | Lizzie’s strict stepmother, whose strained relationship with Lizzie fuels household conflict. |
| Billie Lourd | Emma Borden | Lizzie’s older sister, caught in the family’s complicated dynamics. |
| Jessica Barden | Nance O’Neil | An actress and friend in Lizzie’s social circle. |
| Sarah Paulson | Aileen Wuornos | The infamous killer whose story connects to Lizzie’s legacy across time. |
The cast is a major selling point. Ella Beatty takes on her first leading television role as Lizzie, while Charlie Hunnam returns to the Monster universe after playing Ed Gein in the previous installment. Vicky Krieps also returns after appearing in Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Sarah Paulson adds another memorable performance as Aileen Wuornos, expanding the narrative beyond the original Borden case.
3 Things That Make Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Worth Watching
1. The Real-Life Mystery Has No Easy Answer
The 1892 murders of Andrew and Abby Borden remain one of America’s most notorious historical crime cases. Lizzie was tried and acquitted in 1893, yet suspicion surrounding her never completely faded.
That tension gives the series a compelling starting point. Viewers know the historical outcome, but the show explores the motives, relationships, and emotional circumstances that might explain the violence.
There is an important distinction, though: the real case did not establish Lizzie’s guilt. The series presents a dramatized interpretation, not a definitive answer to a historical mystery.
2. It Explores Female Rage, Repression, and Power
One of the season’s most interesting angles is its portrayal of women living under the social restrictions of the late 19th century.
Lizzie is trapped in a household where she has limited freedom, while Maggie occupies an even more vulnerable position as a domestic worker. Their relationship becomes a way to explore desire, class, control, and rebellion.
The show asks whether cruelty and repression can shape a person’s capacity for violence. That psychological approach makes it more than a simple serial-killer story, although its graphic scenes and sensationalized storytelling may not appeal to everyone.
3. Sarah Paulson’s Aileen Wuornos Connects Two Eras
Sarah Paulson’s appearance is one of the season’s most intriguing additions. Her character, Aileen Wuornos, lived decades after Lizzie Borden and became infamous for a separate series of murders.
The connection between the two women is largely a storytelling device. There is no established historical evidence that Wuornos was personally inspired by Borden in the way the series suggests.
Still, the narrative link gives the season a broader theme: how society turns women accused of extreme violence into myths, symbols, and cautionary tales.
Is Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Based on a True Story?
Yes, but with significant fictionalization.
The real Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892. Both victims suffered fatal injuries from a sharp weapon, and Lizzie was tried for their murders the following year. She was acquitted.
The series retains these central historical events while dramatizing relationships, motives, and parts of the timeline. Some storylines, including the intimate relationship between Lizzie and Maggie, are creative interpretations rather than proven historical facts.
If you enjoy true crime, it is worth watching the show alongside reliable accounts of the original case. The real history is fascinating on its own, and knowing where the drama departs from the record can make the experience even more interesting.
What to Watch Next in Netflix’s Monster Series
Finished Lizzie Borden’s story and want another dark true-crime binge? Here are three earlier installments worth adding to your watchlist.
1. Monster: The Ed Gein Story (2025)
Best for: Disturbing psychological horror and unsettling character studies.
Charlie Hunnam stars as Ed Gein, the Wisconsin killer and grave robber whose crimes helped shape the imagery of classic horror films. The season explores his isolation, his relationship with his mother, and the horrifying discoveries that made him infamous.
It is the most natural next pick if you enjoyed the grim atmosphere of the Lizzie Borden season. There is also a cast connection: Hunnam plays Andrew Borden in the new installment, while Vicky Krieps appeared in the Ed Gein season before returning as Maggie.
Official title: Monster: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix.
2. DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
Best for: A darker, more psychologically intense true-crime drama.
Starring Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer, the first installment examines the serial killer’s crimes, the failures that allowed him to continue, and the devastating impact on his victims and their families.
The season is particularly unsettling because it examines not only the perpetrator but also the institutions and people who failed to stop him. If you want a series that feels more grounded in the consequences of real crimes, start here.
Official title: DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix.
3. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024)
Best for: Family secrets, courtroom drama, and conflicting perspectives.
This installment follows brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez play the brothers as the series examines their family life, the killings, and the highly publicized legal proceedings.
Compared with Lizzie Borden’s story, this season leans more heavily into family trauma, competing accounts of abuse, and the way media coverage shapes public opinion.
Official title: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix.
Which Monster Season Should You Watch First?
You do not need to watch the anthology in release order. Each installment focuses on a different case, so you can choose based on the kind of story you want.
| If You Want… | Watch This |
|---|---|
| Victorian secrets and a disputed murder case | The Lizzie Borden Story |
| A disturbing portrait of a serial killer | The Ed Gein Story |
| A psychological deep dive into a notorious killer | DAHMER |
| Family trauma and courtroom controversy | The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story |
Our recommendation: Start with Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story if you enjoy period dramas, morally complicated characters, and true-crime mysteries that leave room for debate. Follow it with The Ed Gein Story for another grim character study, especially if Charlie Hunnam’s performances interest you.
Just remember that Monster is dramatized true crime, not a documentary. Its most provocative moments may be the ones that stray furthest from the historical record.
