Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has brought a century-old murder case back into the spotlight, and with it, a real historical figure named Bridget Sullivan. The eight-episode season, which premiered on September 17, 2026, stars Vicky Krieps as the Borden family’s Irish maid. In the series, Sullivan is shown as more than just a witness. She is portrayed as Lizzie Borden’s secret lover, a creative choice that has sparked fresh interest in who Bridget Sullivan really was. This article breaks down the real history behind the maid, her role in the 1892 murders, and why historians say the romance is not based on fact.
Who Was Bridget Sullivan in Real Life
Bridget Sullivan was born in Cork County, Ireland, to parents Eugene and Margaret (Leary) Sullivan. She came to the United States about seven years before the murders, first arriving in Newport, Rhode Island. After a year there, she moved to South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and then to Fall River, Massachusetts, four years before the killings. By August 1892, she had been working for the Borden family for two years and nine months.
Sullivan was 26 years old at the time of the murders. She lived in a small attic bedroom at the Borden home on 92 Second Street. Her duties included cooking, cleaning, laundry, and other household work. The Borden sisters, Lizzie and Emma, called her “Maggie” instead of her real name. This was a common practice at the time, where households would give Irish servants a familiar name rather than use their actual ones.
“Was born in Ireland; came first to Newport, Rhode Island. After a year there, went to South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I came to Fall River four years ago; went to work for Mrs. Reed. Had been working for Mr. Borden two years and nine months at the time of his death.” — Bridget Sullivan’s trial testimony, June 7, 1893
Sullivan worked in a tense household. She tried to quit her job more than once, but Abby Borden raised her wages to keep her from leaving. According to the Boston Post in 1892, Sullivan said Abby was “too good for them and they did not like her,” referring to Lizzie and Emma.
What Happened on the Day of the Murders
On the morning of August 4, 1892, Sullivan was feeling unwell. She went outside to vomit before the killings took place. Despite her illness, Abby instructed her to wash the downstairs windows. While Sullivan washed windows, Abby went upstairs to make up the guest room. Investigators later concluded that Abby was killed there around 9:30 a.m. .
Sullivan said she heard nothing that suggested an attack. Andrew Borden returned home at about 10:40 a.m. and found the front door locked. Sullivan went to let him in and had trouble with the locks. As she struggled with the door, she later testified that she heard Lizzie laugh from upstairs. That detail drew attention because Abby’s body was already lying in the second-floor guest room.
After letting Andrew in, Sullivan went upstairs to her attic bedroom to rest. Shortly after, she heard Lizzie calling from below:
“Maggie, come down! … Come down quick; Father’s dead; somebody came in and killed him.” — Lizzie Borden’s call to Bridget Sullivan, as recalled in Sullivan’s testimony
Sullivan was the one who raised the alarm. She was also the only other person in the house during the time of the murders, making her a key witness in the investigation and Lizzie’s trial.
Why Sullivan Became a Suspect and Key Witness
Sullivan’s position in the household made her both a witness and a possible suspect. She was outside cleaning windows when Abby was believed to have been killed, and she was in her attic room when Andrew was murdered. The question of how two people could be killed while she was nearby without her seeing or hearing anything has lingered for over a century.
Sullivan had no clear motive, and there was no direct evidence linking her to the murders. Some later stories suggested she may have known more than she revealed, and one article about her life even described her as a possible accomplice. Sullivan testified at Lizzie’s trial on June 7, 1893, helping investigators build a timeline of the morning. Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murders on June 20, 1893.
The Netflix Romance Theory and What Historians Say
The Monster series shows Lizzie and Bridget in a secret romantic and sexual relationship. The official logline describes them as a “repressed daughter” and her “rebellious maid” who “escape into a fantasy of sex, power, and revenge”. The trailer includes scenes of the two kissing.
Historians and local experts say there is no historical evidence to support the idea that Sullivan and Lizzie were lovers. The theory is described as “pure fan fiction” by those who have studied the case. The Herald News reported that there is no documentation to back up the affair claim. Britannica also notes that Sullivan had no clear motive and no direct evidence linked her to the murders.
The romance is a creative interpretation by series creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, not a historical fact. The show has faced questions about its accuracy before, with critics noting that previous seasons of Monster also took liberties with real events.
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What Happened to Bridget Sullivan After the Trial
After the trial, Sullivan did not stay in Fall River. She moved to Anaconda, Montana, in 1897, where she lived for 45 years. She married John Sullivan in 1905. Reports say she never spoke of the murders again. She lived to about 81 years old.
Sullivan’s testimony remains one of the most important records of what happened inside the Borden house that morning. Her words helped shape the timeline that investigators and historians still use today. The Netflix series has put her name back in public conversation, even as historians remind viewers that the real Bridget Sullivan was a working-class Irish immigrant, not a romantic partner in a revenge fantasy.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix. For more entertainment news and in-depth coverage of the stories behind the screen, stay tuned to VvipTimes.
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