Ryan Murphy’s hit anthology series Monster is returning for its fourth season this fall, and this time it’s tackling infamous murder suspect Lizzie Borden. Premiering on September 17, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story will focus on the 1892 axe murders of Lizzie’s parents, Andrew and Abby Borden, and the historic trial that ended in her acquittal.
Though she was not found guilty, the brutal nature of Borden’s alleged crimes has captivated national attention for more than a century, culminating in movies such as The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975), Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (2014), and Lizzie (2018).
Netflix released its first look of the new season on August 4, showing actor Ella Beatty as a bloody, axe-wielding Borden.
Here’s what we know about the accused killer and her upcoming depiction in Monster Season 4.
Who Was Lizzie Borden?
Born on July 19, 1860, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie Borden was a notorious murder suspect at the center of the most famous criminal trial of the 19th century.
On August 4, 1892, her father Andrew Borden and stepmother Abby Borden were found murdered and mutilated in their home in a brutal hatchet attack. Authorities quickly made Lizzie their prime suspect after she burned a dress she claimed was stained with paint in the days following the murders.
She was indicted in December 1892 and stood trial for the murders the following June, during which she didn’t take the stand in her own defense. Borden even reportedly fainted when lawyers showed her the skulls of her dead parents in court.
After witness testimony in the case ultimately proved inconclusive, she was acquitted of the killings, though no one else was ever charged in the case. Following the trial, Borden and her sister, Emma, inherited much of their father’s estate, where she continued living until her death in June 1927.
Who Is Playing Lizzie Borden?
Borden will be portrayed by newcomer Ella Beatty. The daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, the 26-year-old actor made her debut in the 2024 series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, about Truman Capote and his elite circle of female confidantes. She also appeared in the Oscar-nominated film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025), starring Rose Byrne.
“I am so excited for viewers to experience our exploration of Lizzie Borden’s story and the questions that her life animates to this day,” Beatty told Netflix’s Tudum. “It has been a dream come true to investigate this complicated person’s psychology and to examine an American crime that feels almost mythic in proportion. This season gives us our first female Monster and delves into female rage and repression which I’ve found to feel strikingly relevant. I cannot wait to share it with the world.”
Who Else Is in the Monster Season 4 Cast?
Returning for another season, British actor Charlie Hunman will play Lizzie’s father Andrew Borden. Hunnan, 46, previously starred as serial killer Ed Gein in Monster Season 3 in 2025.
The upcoming series will also star Rebecca Hall as Lizzie’s stepmother Abby Borden and Billie Lourd as her older sister, Emma. Hall, 44, is known for her roles in The Prestige (2006) and Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008), while Lourd—the 34-year-old daughter of the late Carrie Fisher—has played multiple characters in American Horror Story. Other cast members include Jessica Barden and Vicky Krieps.
When Will Monster Season 4 Release?
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story will premiere on Netflix September 17. In addition to Ed Gein, previous seasons have focused on convicted murderers Lyle and Erik Menendez and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. When she’s not working on a new story, you can find her reading, hitting the gym, or watching too much TV.
