Sarah Paulson Set to Play Aileen Wuornos in Netflix’s Next Thriller

“American Horror Story” star Sarah Paulson is in talks to take on another chilling role — Aileen Wuornos. The Emmy winner is in final negotiations to portray the Florida serial killer in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Netflix anthology “Monster.” The role would reunite Paulson with Murphy after their acclaimed work on “AHS.”

Paulson is no stranger to intense roles. She reintroduced America to Marcia Clark in “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and later embodied Linda Tripp in “Impeachment: American Crime Story.” On Netflix, she commanded the screen in “Ratched.” On the film side, she’s transitioned between dramas like “Carol” and “12 Years a Slave.” 

The new “Monster” season will feature Wuornos alongside Lizzie Borden and other women history has branded as “monsters” — with Paulson bringing the infamous story to life. Here’s everything we know about her involvement in Season 4 of “Monster.”

Sarah Paulson Is Stepping Into the “Monster” Universe

Season 4 of “Monster” focuses on Lizzie Borden, with Ella Beatty in the title role and production already underway in Los Angeles. Murphy has teased a broader concept — a “female ‘Monster’ season” that goes beyond Borden… to explore other infamous women, including Aileen Wuornos. “It’s a female ‘Monster’ season,” Murphy told Variety. “There’s many different monsters that float through the season. This has the same approach: Profiling famous women who have been labeled as one thing, and we ask the question: Really, do you think so?

Beatty has already shared her excitement about joining the series, writing on Instagram, “Cannot believe I get to work with geniuses such as these,” when her casting was revealed. If Paulson’s deal closes, she’ll dive into one of true crime’s most hotly debated cases.

Wuornos, born in Michigan in 1956, endured a traumatic childhood marked by abandonment and abuse. She drifted into homelessness and supported herself through sex work along Florida highways. Between 1989 and 1990, she killed at least six men, later confessing to seven. Police arrested her in January 1991, and she ultimately received six death sentences. Florida executed her by lethal injection on Oct. 9, 2002.

Wuornos often claimed self-defense, saying her victims assaulted or attempted to rape her, though she sometimes recanted those claims. Investigators connected her to the murders through ballistic evidence and stolen property. Her former girlfriend, Tyria Moore, cooperated with police and helped secure Wuornos’ recorded confessions, which became crucial to her conviction. 

Aileen Wuornos’ Story Has Been Told Many Times

Pop culture has never stopped retelling Wuornos’ story. Charlize Theron won an Oscar for her portrayal in Patty Jenkins’ “Monster,” which reintroduced the case to a new generation. Lily Rabe later played Wuornos in “American Horror Story: Hotel.” Jean Smart led the 1992 TV movie “Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story,” and Peyton List portrayed a younger version of Wuornos in 2021’s “Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman.”

As for when you can watch Paulson’s take, Netflix hasn’t released a premiere date for Season 4 yet. Cameras are rolling, and the series remains a Netflix exclusive. Murphy’s own words suggest Wuornos will appear as part of a larger storyline on how we label notorious women. 

Which Sarah Paulson role has been your favorite so far — “AHS,” “Ratched,” or “The People v. O.J. Simpson?” Comment below!

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