The Addison Rae–Ed Gein connection comes from Netflix’s Monster: The
Ed Gein Story. Rae plays Evelyn Hartley, a real Wisconsin teenager
who disappeared while babysitting in 1953.
Netflix makes one major dramatic change. There is no established
historical evidence that Ed Gein killed Evelyn Hartley. Her
disappearance remains unsolved.
That difference between the show and reality is essential.
What is Addison Rae’s connection to Ed Gein?
Addison Rae has no real-life connection to Ed Gein. Her connection is an
acting role.
Rae joined the third season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster
anthology. Charlie Hunnam plays Ed Gein. Netflix cast Rae as Evelyn
Hartley.
The real Evelyn vanished years before Gein’s crimes became national
news. Her unresolved case was later considered as authorities examined
whether Gein could be connected to other disappearances.
Netflix turns that historical question into a definite storyline. In the
series, Gein becomes obsessed with Evelyn, abducts her and kills her.
The historical record does not establish those events.
Who does Addison Rae play in Monster?
Rae plays Evelyn Hartley, a teenage babysitter.
Netflix’s official cast material describes Evelyn as a babysitter with
whom Ed becomes obsessed. A later Netflix interview with Rae identifies
the character specifically as Evelyn Hartley.
Evelyn was not invented for television.
Rae told Netflix that she researched Evelyn before filming. She found
limited information about what happened to the real teenager. That
uncertainty gave her an unusual challenge: portraying a real missing
person inside a fictionalized storyline.
The eight-episode season premiered on October 3, 2025. Rae’s
storyline becomes prominent in Episode 3, “The Babysitter.”
Evelyn Hartley was a real missing teenager
The real story begins in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The La Crosse Public Library
Archives
identifies Evelyn Hartley as a 15-year-old high school student who
disappeared while babysitting at a home on La Crosse’s south side in
October 1953.
Evidence suggested that she had been taken against her will. Police,
sheriff’s officers and other agencies investigated extensively.
Evelyn was never found. Her case remains unsolved.
The library preserves decades of local newspaper coverage concerning the
disappearance. That archive is especially valuable because it separates
the original case from later entertainment retellings.
What happens to Evelyn in the Netflix series?
Spoilers follow for Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
Netflix gives Evelyn’s story a fictional resolution.
The series depicts Ed becoming angry and fixated on Evelyn. He later
abducts her and the story portrays her death.
That creates a much stronger relationship between Evelyn and Gein than
historical evidence supports.
Netflix itself acknowledges the distinction. In its interview with
Addison
Rae,
Netflix notes that the real Evelyn disappeared in 1953 and Gein was
never officially linked with the case.
The death sequence is therefore not a documented reconstruction. It is
dramatization.
Did Ed Gein really kill Evelyn Hartley?
There is no established evidence that Ed Gein killed Evelyn Hartley.
Gein was arrested in 1957 after authorities investigated the
disappearance of hardware-store owner Bernice Worden. The investigation
exposed his crimes and grave robbing.
Evelyn’s unresolved disappearance attracted renewed attention. Gein was
questioned in connection with other cases, but investigators did not
establish that he was responsible for Evelyn’s disappearance.
A recent A&E Crime + Investigation
review
likewise says investigators found no solid connection between Gein and
Evelyn’s case.
So two statements can both be true:
- Netflix shows Ed Gein killing Evelyn Hartley.
- History does not establish that Ed Gein killed Evelyn Hartley.
Confusing those statements turns a dramatic choice into misinformation.
Why Monster connects the two stories
The series uses historical uncertainty as dramatic material.
Gein became one of America’s most notorious criminals. His crimes
influenced decades of horror storytelling. Evelyn’s case remained
unresolved.
Connecting the two gives the series a victim storyline that unfolds
around its central character. It also creates a definitive answer where
real history has none.
That is precisely why viewers need context.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is a drama, not a documentary. It combines
documented events with interpretation and invented scenes.
Evelyn’s storyline is one of the clearest examples.
What Addison Rae said about playing Evelyn
Rae approached Evelyn as a real person rather than simply a horror
character.
In her Netflix interview, she said she researched Evelyn before filming.
The limited historical information left space for performance while
reflecting the uncomfortable truth that Evelyn’s fate remains unknown.
Rae also described filming physically uncomfortable scenes. She said
Charlie Hunnam repeatedly checked that she was supported and comfortable
during the intense sequence.
She described the production environment as safe and supportive. Her
comments provide useful behind-the-scenes context without claiming the
scripted events represent history.
The role shows another side of Addison Rae’s career
Rae first became internationally known through social media. She later
expanded into acting and music.
Her screen credits include Netflix’s He’s All That and the horror film
Thanksgiving. By the time Monster: The Ed Gein Story arrived, she
was building parallel music and acting careers.
Evelyn was a more sensitive role because it used the identity of a real
missing teenager.
That makes factual framing especially important.
Fact vs. fiction at a glance
Question Historical record Netflix series
Was Evelyn Hartley Yes Yes
real?
Was she a teenager? Yes Yes
Did she disappear while Yes Used as story basis
babysitting?
Was her disappearance No Show supplies an answer
solved?
Was Gein proven to be No Show portrays him as
her killer? killer
Does Addison Rae play Not applicable Yes
Evelyn?
Rae is playing a real person. Gein was real. Evelyn’s disappearance was
real.
Their relationship as confirmed victim and killer is not established
history.
Why that distinction matters
True-crime dramas use real names and events. Invented scenes can
therefore feel more authoritative than ordinary fiction.
Evelyn’s case deserves particular care because there is no confirmed
ending to her story. A television solution should not replace historical
uncertainty.
The responsible approach is straightforward: say what Netflix depicts,
then explain what investigators actually established.
The Netflix series
hub provides
official episode and production context. Historical sources remain more
appropriate for determining what actually happened.
Frequently asked questions
Is Addison Rae in the Ed Gein Netflix series?
Yes. Addison Rae appears in Monster: The Ed Gein Story as Evelyn
Hartley.
Who is Addison Rae’s character?
She plays Evelyn Hartley, a real Wisconsin teenager who disappeared
while babysitting in 1953.
Was Evelyn Hartley a real person?
Yes. Her disappearance is documented in historical local records. The
case remains unsolved.
Did Ed Gein kill Evelyn Hartley?
There is no established historical evidence proving that he did. Netflix
depicts Gein killing Evelyn, but that storyline is dramatized.
Does Addison Rae’s character die in Monster?
Yes. The series portrays Evelyn’s death. That plot point should not be
confused with a proven account of the real Evelyn’s fate.
Was Evelyn Hartley’s body ever found?
No. Evelyn was never found, and her disappearance remains unresolved.
What episode features Addison Rae?
Her Evelyn storyline is prominent in Episode 3, “The Babysitter,”
and continues afterward.
When did Monster: The Ed Gein Story premiere?
Netflix released the eight-episode season on October 3, 2025.
The bottom line
Addison Rae’s connection to Ed Gein exists through Monster: The Ed Gein
Story.
She plays Evelyn Hartley, a real teenager whose 1953 disappearance
remains unsolved.
Netflix transforms that mystery into a definitive storyline by
portraying Gein as her abductor and killer. The historical evidence does
not establish that conclusion.
The character is based on a real missing girl, but the show’s solution
to her case is fiction, not a proven historical finding.
Research and transparency note
Last updated: August 18, 2026.
This article was researched using Netflix’s official Tudum and Media
Center materials, the La Crosse Public Library historical archive, and
recent A&E historical reporting. Entertainment coverage was used to
understand reader intent, not to override primary or local historical
evidence.
Human review status: This draft requires human editorial review and
approval before publication. No completed human review is claimed.
For broad orientation, readers may consult the Evelyn Hartley Wikipedia
page,
while the core historical claims above rely on stronger archival and
first-party sources.
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