Netflix has officially announced the main cast for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the fourth installment of the true-crime anthology created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, with actress Ella Beatty starring in the title role.
The new television series takes as its starting point one of the most famous criminal cases in the United States, focusing on the events that took place in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892.
Beatty, the daughter of Hollywood actors Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, portrays Lizzie Borden, the woman accused of killing her father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Borden. The production follows Borden from the aftermath of the crimes and depicts several distinct periods of her life.
Charlie Hunnam plays Andrew Borden, a Fall River businessman and the father of Lizzie and Emma. Rebecca Hall stars as Abby Borden, Andrew's second wife and stepmother to the two sisters. Both figures occupy a central place in the tragedy that triggers the events of the series.
Key figures in the Fall River family
Vicky Krieps joins the cast as Bridget 'Maggie' Sullivan, the family's live-in housemaid whose presence in the household was significant during the subsequent investigation. Billie Lourd portrays Emma Borden, Lizzie's older sister.
The show also features characters connected to later stages of Borden's life. Jessica Barden plays Nance O'Neil, a stage actress who became a close friend of Borden around 1904. Joey Pollari plays John Vinnicum Morse, Lizzie's uncle.
In one of the most prominent casting choices for the new season, Sarah Paulson plays Aileen Wuornos, the real-life American serial killer. Her inclusion marks another connection to historical crime figures within the Murphy and Brennan anthology franchise.
Supporting cast and anthology background
The production features a wide supporting cast to round out the environment surrounding the Borden family. Ember Ambrose plays Emma Borden as a child, while Chad Coe appears as Francis Wixon and Aimee McGuire plays Margaret.
Joseph Schwartz plays Officer George Allen, and Lauri Hendler portrays Mrs. Enid Wheatley. The ensemble is completed by Elizabeth Scopel as Callie, Greg Barnett as William Moody, Ari Graynor, Linda Reiter as Bertha Manchester, and Caterina Grosoli as Doryotta.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story expands Netflix's popular true-crime franchise following previous installments that focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, the Menendez brothers, and Ed Gein.
