Charlie Hunnam returns to 'Monster' in a surprising new role

Charlie Hunnam has returned to Netflix’s Monster anthology series for its fourth season, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, following his role as serial killer Ed Gein in the previous season.

In Season 4, Hunnam plays Andrew Borden, the wealthy father of Lizzie Borden, portrayed by Ella Beatty. Andrew and his wife, Abby Borden, became victims in the infamous 1892 murders for which Lizzie was accused and later acquitted.

Monster showrunner Ian Brennan explained that bringing Hunnam back was a straightforward decision after the actor’s work on Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Brennan said the production had enjoyed working with Hunnam and did not want to “say goodbye to him” after the third season.

Brennan also highlighted the contrast between Hunnam’s two roles. While Ed Gein was portrayed with a softer demeanour, Andrew Borden is presented as a hostile and troubled father. According to Brennan, Hunnam’s performance brings additional complexity to the character.

Director Max Winkler, who worked on both seasons, also discussed Hunnam’s return. He said playing Andrew allowed the actor to work without carrying the same intensity associated with his portrayal of Gein.

Hunnam said the role offered him greater creative freedom because relatively little is known about the historical Andrew Borden. He explained that the limited historical record allowed the production to develop aspects of the character for the series.

The fourth season stars Beatty as Lizzie Borden, alongside Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden, Vicky Krieps as Bridget Sullivan and Sarah Paulson as Aileen Wuornos.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is currently available to stream on Netflix.