The cast and crew of Monster on Netflix have their say on whether Lizzie Borden was guilty

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story definitely leans towards showing her as guilty. Despite the court scenes, the recreations of her father and step mother’s murders tell a different tale. 

Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father Andrew, and step mother Abby. However, she was later acquitted at a trial, and nobody was ever found guilty. The brutal murders remain an unsolved mystery. 

But, many still think she might have gotten away with murder. So, what do those who have studied the case for months think? Here’s what the cast of crew of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story have said about whether or not she was guilty. 

Charlie Hunnam 

via Netflix

Charlie Hunnam, who plays Andrew Borden in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, has his own theory about what may have happened. “If she did indeed commit this crime, it was never proved. She was exonerated in court, although all of the evidence does suggest that she probably was responsible,” he said, in a conversation with Entertainment Weekly.

He said the case is very different to that of Ed Gein, the killer he played for Monster. He added: “But if she was responsible, it was a much more understandable crime of passion.

“She was living in this incredibly oppressive household with a father who was completely inaccessible and ruled in this cold, iron-fisted, miserly way, and a step mother who was miserable and resented her.”

Ella Beatty

via Netflix

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Ella Beatty played Lizzie in the Netflix show, and has shared her opinion. Speaking with Celestial Sylvia, Ella was asked “if Lizzie did it.” She replied: “I have my feelings, I have my thoughts. But I didn’t feel like it was my job to take a stance on it. The show certainly posits a stance.

“You know Ian [Brennan, Monster’s showrunner] and Ryan [Murphy, Monster’s creator] create a show where she did. But for me, our show really isn’t about if she did it or didn’t do it. It’s about if she did it, why?”  

She added that the show is more of “a painting” of the story, “not a documentary” so she tried to empathise with Lizzie, and “use a vivid imagination” when creating the scenes.  So, she’s highly hinting that not everything about Lizzie in the show should be treated as fact. 

Ian Brennan

via Netflix

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Ian Brennan was very blunt in explaining that he thinks Lizzie Borden was guilty.

“At a certain point, you just have to pick [if she was guilty or not],” he said. “You do as much research as you can, and then you’re like, ‘Okay, what do I think about this?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, she definitely did it. Like, of course she did it’.”

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.