Charlie Hunnam plays Andrew Borden and invents stutter in series

Actor Charlie Hunnam returned to the spotlight with the premiere of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, released by Netflix on September 17, 2026. In the Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan‑produced series, he portrays Andrew Borden, the murdered father of the protagonist. The role sparked interest after the artist explained his vocal choices and the addition of a self‑invented stutter for the character.

The creation of the voice and the stutter detail

In an interview with CBR, Charlie Hunnam said the voice and stutter used for Andrew Borden emerged while reading the scripts and were created by him. The actor explained that the script called for a stutter in only one emotionally painful passage, but the sound pattern solidified as he repeated the dialogue. Hunnam openly admitted the decision has no factual basis and that there is no historical mention of the real figure stuttering when speaking.

The family dynamics and the portrayal of Andrew Borden

The plot revisits the murders that took place in August 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts. In the series, Lizzie Borden, played by Ella Beatty, struggles with family pressures and ends up accused of killing her father and stepmother, Abby Borden, portrayed by Rebecca Hall. Lizzie was tried and acquitted of the axe‑murder deaths, with no one ever convicted of the crime. The version presented by the show depicts Andrew as an abusive, manipulative head of household and also explores his relationship with housekeeper Bridget Sullivan, played by Vicky Krieps.

Comparing Andrew Borden to Ed Gein

This season marks a role reversal for Hunnam within the franchise, as he played the murderous protagonist in the previous season, Monster: The Ed Gein Story. When contrasting the two projects, the actor described Gein as a deeply disturbed figure involved in heinous acts. Regarding the Lizzie Borden case, Hunnam mused that, had she committed the unproven acts, the scenario would be understood as a passion‑driven crime provoked by the stepmother’s hostility and the father’s coldness in an oppressive domestic setting.

The franchise’s history and the assembled cast

The production is the fourth chapter of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix anthology, following seasons focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, the brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, and Ed Gein. The new project’s cast, which also includes names like Billie Lourd and Sarah Paulson, attended the New York premiere event at the Paris Theatre alongside the creative team and director Max Winkler.

With information from The Tab, Comic Basics.