The Lizzie Borden Chronicles stars Christina Ricci
Category: Television and Streaming
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles is a fictionalized account of the notorious woman after she was acquitted of the brutal ax murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. This is a limited eight episode series with Christina Ricci reprising the role of Lizzie. Ricci played the young woman in the 2014 TV movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax.
The series begins with Lizzie and her sister, again played by Clea DuVall who played Emma Borden in the movie, trying to get on with their lives after the acquittal. Now Lizzie is a famous young woman who manipulates people to her own advantage, even if that means killing them!
Digging into Ms. Borden’s past and putting clues together is Pinkerton detective Charlie Siringo (Cole Hauser). He knows she is behind many of the new murders and is intent on catching her once and for all. Siringo was an actual legendary Pinkerton detective however he was never involved with the Lizzie Borden investigation. Hauser said he was honored to play the role and would love to play him again.
Christina Ricci explained, “I think she’s a really fun character to play. I mean, she’s out of her mind and a bad person and she likes to commit murder.” So how did she get into character for this role? “I just go to a place where things are fun and dark, and I don’t know. But at the same time, we do deal with the sort of complexities of emotion behind a lot of the relationships and what created this sort of monster.” And this show definitely depicts Lizzie as a monster.
When asked about returning to the role of Lizzie, Ricci was eager to take the job. “This came up sort of out of the blue. I never expected to play her again,” she said. “But she’s really fun, and it’s fun to come back and do her again in this amalgamation of the story and the interpretation, because we are doing something that is very different. It’s a very different character than in the movie. So this version of her is actually a lot more satisfying.”
Christina Ricci is wonderful in the role. She will undoubtedly put some fear in the hearts of viewers. This devious young woman has no qualms about killing anyone who gets in her way or who interferes with her plans.
Christina Ricci joked with the media, “This is really just a fictionalized sort of version of what happens after the trial as she continues to misbehave, shall we say.” She added, “It’s just fun, and it’s a good time.” Make no mistake, this is definitely a show filled with blood, and gore. It’s intriguing but not for young viewers. Keep the kiddies away while you watch this engrossing series.
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles premiers Sunday, April 5, 2015 on Lifetime.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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