This could be terrible, or it could be great.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kristen Stewart is in early negotiations for an as-yet-untitled feature film inspired by the true story of Lizzie Borden.
Although Borden was eventually acquitted, she is still widely believed to have murdered her father and step mother with an ax in 1892. She’s been memorialized in rhyme (Lizie Borden took an axe/and gave her mother forty whacks), on TV, and in various stage and film productions of varying tastefulness and historical accuracy.
Sevigny would reportedly play Lizzie herself, while Stewart is in talks for the role of Bridget Sullivan, the Borden’s live-in-maid. In 1984, mystery author Ed McBain popularized the theory that Lizzie may have been in a romantic relationship with Sullivan, and that Sullivan may have helped Lizzie dispose of the murder weapon.
Although McBains’s theory was likely coming from a pretty gross place (lesbians? They must be murderers!), some of the media inspired by the Borden killings–particularly Sharon Pollock’s 2007 play “Blood Relations”–has done a good job of speculating respectfully about the societal pressures that could have contributed to the tragedy.
If this new project does choose to explore a relationship between Lizzie and Bridget, I think the right director and screenwriter could make that LGBTQ+ representation, if not outright positive, than at least thoughtful.
Personally, I’m excited to see where this project could go. What about you, friends?
(via Collider)
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