Monster’s Showrunner has explained the surprise decision to feature Aileen Wuornos in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
One of the keys to the success of Ryan Murphy’s best shows has been that he has worked with a slew of extremely talented actors. Still, many people didn’t expect Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story to feature one of his most regular collaborators, Sarah Paulson, as Aileen Wuornos. Now, the series’ showrunner has revealed why the newest season of the anthology show featured the real-life killer who was born decades after Borden’s story became infamous.
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Suzanne Tenner/Netflix © 2026 -
Courtesy of Netflix © 2026
As the showrunner of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, Ian Brennan played a huge role in bringing the season’s story to life. While discussing the surprising inclusion of Wuornos with Tudum, he noted that she is such a fascinating figure that she could have inspired her own season of the series. Check out Brennan’s comments below:
“She’s such a fascinating character. She could easily be her own season of the show.”
While Wuornos’ life and crimes have inspired an acclaimed Charlize Theron film and several fascinating documentaries, that didn’t necessarily mean that her inclusion in a season about Borden would have made sense. Still, the decision to spotlight her wasn’t only embraced by the series’ showrunner.
During the latest season of Monster, Ella Beatty had the starring role as Borden. Her compelling portrayal of the real-life historical figure who has long been the subject of intrigue was make or break for the series. Given that she was at the heart of the season’s story, it is fascinating to learn what she thought of Wuornos’ role in the story. As the same Tudum article notes, Beatty praised the decision to include Wuornos because she believes it served the season’s message. Check out Beatty’s comments below:
“The show is exploring a legacy of female rage and reaction to the set of circumstances that they are presented with. I think there’s a connection [between Borden and Wuornos] that Ryan and Ian were interested in mapping and exploring. I think the story of Aileen Wuornos also served that question and that exploration of why women kill.”
Borden became an infamous figure following the death of her parents during the early 1890s, for which she stood trial and was acquitted. Nearly a century later, Wuornos took the lives of seven people throughout 1989 and 1990. After the events that made her go down in history, Borden passed away on June 1, 1927. Remarkably, that was nearly three decades before Wuornos was born on February 29, 1956.
While both women fascinated the world, they lived and died during completely different eras. As a result, it is interesting that the team behind Monster saw their stories as so deeply connected that Wuornos became a key part of a season dedicated to Borden. Looking at its subjects in out-of-the-box ways has become a calling card of the hit Netflix series. That is why there is now so much interest in learning who the subject of the show’s next season will be.
- Release Date
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September 17, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Max Winkler, Sarah Adina Smith
- Writers
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Ian Brennan
