The “American Horror Story” (AHS) fandom is filled with conflicting emotions due to the recent announcement made at the 32nd Annual PaleyFest in Los Angeles.
On 15th March, PaleyFest officially came to an end with the discussions at the “American Horror Story” panel. Show creator Ryan Murphy and the cast of “AHS: Freak Show” discussed all things “Freak Show” during the panel moderated by EW’s Tim Stack. However, the panel was later joined by Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson, who took the stage to announce their involvement in the upcoming season of the show.
This came on the heels of FX’s recent announcement regarding Lady Gaga’s involvement in the popular horror anthology series by Ryan Murphy.
Matt Bomer is best known for his recurring role as Bryce Larkin in the NBC television series “Chuck”. Having previously worked with Murphy on Fox’s “Glee” and HBO’s “The Normal Heart”, he said, “I love collaborating with Ryan Murphy.” The “Magic Mike XXL” star also briefly appeared in the 4th season of “American Horror Story” as Andy, a prostitute who was murdered by Dandy (played by Finn Wittrock).
And now, he is set to return to the AHS franchise for a leading role, but the actor refused to reveal any details about it. When asked about his relationship with Lady Gaga in the show, he said, “I can’t confirm nor deny that there will be a romantic relationship with her.”
During the closing night of PaleyFest 2015, Cheyenne Jackson also made a surprise appearance at the AHS panel. This is the latest collaboration between Murphy and Jackson as the “30 Rock” alum previously starred in Murphy’s HBO pilot “Open” and had an arc on the 2nd season of Fox’s “Glee” as Dustin Goolsby, the coach of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline.
Jackson said he knew nothing about his role in the show, but he added:
About 6 months ago, [Ryan] talked to me and I said it’s my absolute favorite show on television. I’m really, really excited… I’m absolutely nervous, but I’m really excited.
Jackson’s other TV credits include “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Ugly Betty”.
The original cast member Kathy Bates is expected to return to the anthology, but Jessica Lange confirmed that she will not return to the franchise. The news inevitably broke the hearts of millions of AHS fans as Lange was one of the key cast members of the series.
She said:
Yes, I’m done. We’ve had a great run here. I have absolutely loved doing these four characters that I’ve had the opportunity to play. In all the madness, I’ve loved the writers, my actors, Ryan and the whole, I mean, insanity of it, shooting here, shooting in New Orleans, the stories, everything.
It is unclear whether her co-star and fan favourite Evan Peters (of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” fame) would be returning to the franchise, but he seemed open to coming back for another run.
Titled “American Horror Story: Hotel”, the 5th season will consist of 13 episodes and it is expected to air this October.
What do you think of the casting news so far? Are you sad to see Lange leaving the show? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
