In stark contrast to Glee, Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story is a dark masterpiece, featuring a murderous house, a haunted hotel, a cult, a witch coven, and everything else in between. As terrifying as the show’s premise is, the Emmy-winning series has gone on to attract some of the biggest names in Hollywood throughout its run.
These include Sarah Paulson (who has clearly become Murphy’s muse), Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Billie Lourd, Frances Conroy, Zachary Quinto, Connie Britton, Lady Gaga, and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others. And while it’s easy to assume that these stars easily got roles on the show, fans may be surprised to learn that the show’s casting process is not exactly straightforward. At the same time, some of the cast’s audition stories are just as interesting.
Some Actors Just Asked For A Role
A hit show such as Murphy’s tends to attract a lot of talent. In fact, that’s probably why several A-listers agreed to star in the series. And perhaps, more importantly, they’re eager to stay on.
“The great thing with this show is that actors always really want to come back,” casting director Eric Souliere, who worked on Apocalypse, told Backstage. “And they’re excited to return and see who they’re playing, whether it’s a new character or one they’ve played before.”
And with several coming back, others become even more eager to join the show too. For instance, there’s Lady Gaga who has been friends with Murphy a long time. And so, she rang the creator. “I called him and I said, ‘Ryan, I wanna be on Horror Story,’” the singer recalled. “And he goes, ‘Okay.’ And that was it.”
Emma Roberts’ circumstance was somewhat similar although she didn’t call and got a part instantly. In her case, the actress had to wait for the right role.
“I’d told him that I wanted to be on the show since the first season ‘cause I was obsessed. Anytime I’d run into him anywhere, ‘cause we’re kind of friendly, I’d be like, ‘When are you gonna put me on American Horror Story?’” Roberts told Collider. “And he randomly just called me, one day. It was so surreal. I got a call saying, ‘Ryan wants you to be on the show, and he’s about to call you.’” The actress has since appeared in several seasons.
Others Were Cast After A Referral From Jessica Lange
As it turns out, even established Hollywood actresses could use some job referrals from time to time. And when it comes to Murphy, it seems there’s at least one Oscar-winning actress who’s got his ear; Jessica Lange.
It just so happened that Lange and Paulson once starred on Broadway together (The Glass Menagerie). And when the women met up with Murphy at a benefit, Lange, who already starred in Murder House, asked the creator, “Can’t you find something for Paulson?” Murphy did.
Kathy Bates was going through a lot when she reached to her pal, Lange. Her show, Harry’s Law, was just canceled, and she had just learned that she had breast cancer (Bates decided to undergo a double mastectomy). She was a “in a very low mood” and that’s when Lange contacted Murphy on her behalf.
“My friend Jessica Lange spoke to Ryan,” Bates told Showbiz Junkies. “I had a great meeting with Ryan, and my inner child just woke up during that meeting and got so excited about the character of Delphine LaLaurie.” The actress added, “I credit Ryan for not only rejuvenating my career, but rejuvenating my spirit.”
Some Had To Work Harder To Be Cast In The Show
As for some of the newer talent in the cast, it turns out they had to do an actual audition to get on the show. Model Kaia Gerber wanted to be on the show so badly. “Half of my life I've spent religiously watching American Horror Story. I've seen every season, and I know how all the different storylines connect,” she told Entertainment Tonight.
And, she finally decided she had to audition, taping it at home with the help of her famous mother, Cindy Crawford. “As you can imagine, [it was] a little bit uncomfortable to do with my mom,” Gerber remarked. “But she was a trooper and helped me a lot.”
Similarly, model/actress Paris Jackson had to face auditions before getting cast in the spinoff American Horror Stories. Luckily, she had the support of godfather Macaulay Culkin, who has also starred in the series. So he gave her valuable advice; “He said overdo it at certain points. Kind of like, overact and kind of make it theatrical.”
Currently, it seems work is underway on season 11 of American Horror Story. Back in 2020, FX had ordered seasons 12 and 13 of Murphy’s series, so fans can certainly expect to see more of the creator’s talented ensemble.
At the same time, the show’s spinoffs, American Horror Stories and American Crime Story, are preparing future episodes. The former has been renewed for season 2 at Hulu while the latter is developing a new season that is focused on Studio 54 and its criminal underworld.
