Ella Beatty is quickly becoming one of Hollywood's most exciting young talents. From her Broadway debut in Appropriate to the Oscar-nominated If I Had Legs I'd Kick You and the upcoming The Bell Jar, she's already shown remarkable range. Now, she's stepping into the shoes of one of history's most infamous figures in Ryan Murphy's Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
The series reimagines the 1892 Fall River murders, where Lizzie was accused—and acquitted—of killing her father and stepmother with an ax. While the nursery rhyme paints a simple picture, the show digs deeper, exploring a young woman pushed to the edge by a cruel stepmother, a distant father, and a forbidden romance with the family maid. Beatty captures both Lizzie's gentle nature and her simmering rage, delivering a performance that's as heartbreaking as it is chilling.
In an exclusive chat, Beatty shared how she prepared for the role. "Right away, I listened to every podcast and video ever published," she laughed. But she soon focused on the script and her own imagination. She also read The Trial of Lizzie Borden, which offered a deep dive into the case. One surprising discovery? "She loved animals. That was a big way in for her physicality and her connectivity—or lack thereof—to people."
Those quiet moments with her doves and in nature become powerful scenes of catharsis. Beatty explained, "Sometimes the most impactful moments in a script are ones without dialogue. Ian is so tactful about creating those moments that are so fun to play."
The chemistry between Lizzie and the maid, played by Vicky Krieps, is electric. Beatty gushed, "We loved each other right away. She's fierce, spontaneous, and playful. Her wildness is so similar to the dynamic of the characters. It was just fun and easy." That connection shines in scenes like the cherry bath and the couch cleaning, which turn mundane acts into something unexpectedly sensual.
The show doesn't shy away from violence, and Beatty revealed how that affected her performance. "The gore is intense, but it's all in service of understanding Lizzie's state of mind," she said. "It's not gratuitous; it's a window into her fury."
For fans of true crime, Monster offers a fresh take on a classic mystery. If you're hungry for more, check out our list of true-crime books that dig deeper than any docuseries. And for more on the series' expanding universe, see how Aileen Wuornos joins the mix.
Beatty's performance is a standout, and with her upcoming projects, she's clearly a star on the rise. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix.
