Age differences between The Lizzie Borden Story cast and the real people make it inaccurate

Monster: The Lizzie Borden is getting criticised for its huge age gaps between the cast and the real-life people they’re playing, because it makes the show really inaccurate. 

The eight-part series made by Ryan Murphy follows the story of the American woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, who was accused of killing her father and stepmother in August 1892. And the ages are all wrong. 

Andrew Borden 

Credit: Netflix

Lizzie’s father, Andrew Borden, was 69 at the time of his death. Yet the actor who plays him, Charlie Hunnam, is only 46. That means he’s 23 years younger than his character in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, and he looks it in the show, making it historically inaccurate. 

Abby Borden

Credit: Netflix

Lizzie’s stepmother, Abby Borden, was also way older when she died than what it seems in the show. She was 64 on the day she was brutally murdered, while her actress Rebecca Hall is only 44, a whopping 20-year age gap. In the show, she seems really young.

Lizzie Borden 

Credit: Netflix

Most Read

I went on a night out with Bonnie Blue – it was uncomfortable and she’s dead behind the eyes

Monster’s lead star explains why Aileen Wuornos was clumsily shoved into Lizzie Borden show

40 years later, one of the Unsolved Mysteries cold cases has just been solved

As for Lizzie herself, she was 32 when her father and stepmother were killed. But her actress, Ella Beatty, is only 26, six years younger. That’s quite accurate at the start, but Beatty continues to play Lizzie in her later years after being acquitted and hasn’t aged a day. The real Lizzie Borden lived at Maplecroft from the age of 33 right up to her death at 66.

Bridget Sullivan

Credit: Netflix

The maid, Bridget Sullivan was actually only 25 when she emigrated from Ireland to work for the Bordens in Fall River, but Monster makes her seem way older. Vicky Krieps, who plays her, is 42, a whopping 17 years older than the real-life person. 

Emma Borden

Credit: Netflix

Emma Borden’s age is all wrong too. She was 41 at the time of the August 1892 murders. Her actress, Billie Lourd, is 34, only seven years younger, but Monster makes Emma out to be even younger. 

For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. Featured image credit: Netflix