Who Was Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan in ‘Monster’? And Did She Have a Real Relationship with Lizzie Borden?

Netflix is back with the latest edition of Monster, the anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, and this time it's the case of Lizzie Borden which is hitting the small screen.The Monster anthology depicts a high-profile murder case from U.S. history, with previous editions focusing on Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is the first in the series to focus on a female killer and tells a dramatized version of events of Lizzie Borden, a woman who was accused and eventually acquitted of killing her father and stepmother in the 1890s.Much of the Netflix adaptation of her case focusses on the relationship and friendship between Lizzie and the family's maid Bridget Sullivan, who often went by Maggie. But how close were they in real life? And did they have the relationship as depicted on screen? Here's what you need to know.Jump to:Who is Bridget in Monster?Who was Bridget Sullivan?Did Bridget and Lizzie have a relationship?Who is Bridget in Monster? In the Netflix series, Bridget Sullivan (aka Maggie) is the family's new maid who arrives in episode 1 after Mrs. Borden fires yet another maid (it's giving Emily Gilmore). In the series she's played by Vicky Krieps, who is best known for her roles in Phantom Thread, Corsage, and Old.NetflixThroughout the series, she's depicted as outspoken and appears to have the family wrapped around her finger. She grows close with Lizzie and gives Lizzie a sense of self, encouraging her to read female writers and learn about her body.Who was Bridget Sullivan? In real life, Bridget Sullivan was an Irish maid who had traveled from her home country to work in the U.S.. She worked as a housemaid for the Borden family who insisted on calling her “Maggie” a name that a previous maid had—a fact which is incorporated into the Netflix series.She was in her mid-20s at the time of the murders of her employers Andrew and Abby Borden. Lizzie was originally arrested and tried for the murders of her parents, who were both killed with multiple ax blows.At the time of the murder, only Lizzie and Bridget were believed to be inside the house, where the murders took place. Lizzie was said to be the person who discovered Andrew and Abby dead, and according to Bridget's testimony, Lizzie said: "Maggie, come down! Come down quick; Father’s dead; somebody came in and killed him." Bridget went on to raise the alarm and fetch the doctor and alert the neighbors.During the inquest and trial in 1893, Bridget was called to give testimony and spoke plainly about what happened. She didn't state at any time of having seen evidence of the weapon, blood on Lizzie or an intruder in the house. Lizzie was later acquitted of the murders.Rather than stay on to serve Lizzie and her elder sister Emma, Bridget moved to the West Coast of the U.S., and had a family of her own.NetflixThroughout the Netflix drama, Bridget and Lizzie have a very close relationship with Bridget almost taking on a mentor role for Lizzie. She gives her sex toys, tells her stories and encourages her to have more gumption. The series also sees the pair grow intimate together.However, in real life there is no indication of such a relationship occurring. Bridget had worked for the family for nearly three years before Andrew and Abby's deaths and at no point is there any historical evidence to suggest they were more than employer and employee.The same can also be said for Mr. Borden and Bridget, who are shown in the Netflix series to have had a sexual relationship, with Mr Borden paying Bridget for sex. There's no indication to suggest this happened in real life either.Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is available on Netflix now.