Charlie Hunnam recently starred in back-to-back projects in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Netflix anthology series _Monster_, first as serial killer Ed Gein in _Monster: The Gein Story_ and then as Andrew Borden, father of Lizzie Borden, in _Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story_. The Lizzie Borden season, directed by Max Winkler and Sarah Adina Smith, premiered on September 17, 2026, and quickly rose to No. 1 on Netflix’s English TV list with 12.1 million views. This eight-episode season explores the unsolved 1892 murders of Andrew and Abby Borden in Fall River, Massachusetts, and stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden along with notable actors like Rebecca Hall and Sarah Paulson.

Hunnam explained that his approach to portraying Andrew Borden was notably different from his intense immersion as Ed Gein, for which he studied extensive historical material, including a rare vocal recording. Andrew Borden, by contrast, was a much more elusive figure with very little historical record beyond his family’s private life. This scarcity gave Hunnam creative freedom, allowing him to craft a nuanced and layered depiction of a man who was taciturn, isolated, and deeply affected by personal tragedy and grief. Andrew’s story reveals a man once optimistic in life but embittered by loss, trapped in misery and unable to protect his daughters from harm or even himself.

In the show, Andrew is portrayed as silently enduring the household’s cruelty, especially from his wife Abby, showing a man who becomes resentful and angry due to grief but not overtly harsh. Hunnam sees Andrew as emblematic of the themes of oppression and resentment that permeate the season. The character’s inability to reconcile his strong religious faith with the devastating losses he suffered — including the death of a child and his wife — leaves him shrouded in bitterness that poisons his household. This complexity was key for Hunnam to explore, revealing the emotional and psychological wounds that never healed and contributed to the atmosphere surrounding the infamous murders.

Unlike his continuous deep dive into Ed Gein’s persona, Hunnam was able to step away from the role of Andrew Borden between shoots due to weeks-long breaks in filming. He described engaging intensely with the character only close to shooting days, while otherwise returning to his normal routines and other creative work. This contrast in acting approach reflected the different demands of the roles and the nature of the historical figures involved — one notorious and well-documented, the other an obscure figure shrouded in mystery but pivotal to the chilling narrative of _Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story_.