Ella Beatty to Portray Lizzie Borden in Netflix's 'Monster' Series

Ella Beatty, the 26-year-old daughter of acclaimed actors Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, is set to star as Lizzie Borden in the upcoming Netflix anthology series "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story." The series will delve into the life of Borden, who was accused of the brutal hatchet murders of her parents in 1892 and subsequently acquitted.

Beatty, who acknowledges the privilege of her "nepo baby" status, expressed her desire to contribute something meaningful to the industry. She told Vogue in 2024, "I totally acknowledge that there is an inherent privilege and exposure that comes from having well-known actors as parents." Growing up immersed in the world of film, Beatty stated that acting was a natural progression, with her parents teaching her to "contextualize the world" as artists from a young age.

Her formal training includes studying drama at The Juilliard School in New York, where she graduated in 2022. Prior to her role in "Monster," Beatty appeared in the FX anthology series "Feud: Capote v The Swans" as Kerry O'Shea and made her Broadway debut in "Appropriate," replacing Elle Fanning. It was during her theater work that she befriended actress Sarah Paulson, who was unaware of Beatty's famous lineage.

"My interest in you, my estimation of you as a performer, had nothing to do with that," Paulson told Beatty in a Zoom interview, highlighting Beatty's talent independent of her family's fame.

Co-creator Ian Brennan stated that Beatty was a natural fit for the role of Lizzie Borden, noting her ability to project innocence and an "inscrutability" that echoes iconic images of Borden. "She can have a real blank slate of a face. She exudes this sense of innocence," Brennan said.

Netflix's "Monster" anthology series has previously achieved significant success, with "The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" starring Evan Peters becoming a global phenomenon and "The Menendez Brothers" propelling Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez into the spotlight. "The Ed Gein Story" starring Charlie Hunnam also garnered critical attention.

"Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story" is slated for release on Netflix on September 17. Following this role, Beatty is scheduled to appear in the film adaptation of "The Bell Jar," directed by Sarah Polley and featuring Billie Eilish.