Character and Story Details Revealed For AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL
Fan poster by My Movie Art
Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story horror series anthology has been so fun to watch. It's one of the best and most twisted shows out there right now, and I'm excited for what is coming in American Horror Story: Hotel.
During FX's Television Critics Assn. press tour, Murphy, Brad Falchuk and the cast of AHS: Hotel spoke about the upcoming series. They offered up details on their characters, as well as aspects of the story will be told this time around.
Murphy revealed that the idea for the new season was inspired by a surveillance video from a Los Angeles-based hotel that surfaced two years ago. I don't know if you've heard about it or not, but the footage showed a girl in an elevator acting strange, who was never seen again. You can watch the video here.
The story will be set in a hotel in downtown L.A., where they "deal with a lot of American horrors, [including] addiction.” The information you see here comes from Variety, who was at the press event. Here are the character breakdowns:
Sarah Paulson: “I play Sally. I live at the hotel, I hate Iris [Kathy Bates] in a rather ancient way for reasons that are revealed quickly. I have a sort of budding relationship with Wes’ [Bentley] character.” Her character is an addict who she describes as “quite dark,” “vile” and “nasty.” She also says, “I think she’s sexy. She’s a drug addict — not that drug addicts are sexy, but this girl happened to be quite sexy. She’s unlike anything I’ve done on the show. Really, unlike anything I’ve done anywhere.”
Lady Gaga: The musician and artist plays a character named Elizabeth. Murphy describes her as a “wealthy social doyenne,” and says that she’s “consumed with art and fashion and people, and she has a nefarious plan that is revealed in the first episode.” So in a way I guess she's playing herself. The character is bisexual "who has relationships with Matt [Bomer] and Angela [Bassett] and Cheyenne [Jackson].”
Kathy Bates: She plays a character named Iris, who runs the hotel, and Bates says that she has "relationships with Matt Bomer and Wes [Bentley]. And I can’t stand [Sarah Paulson’s character]. I don’t know if I get to work with Angela [Bassett]. I hope.”
Matt Bomer: “I play Donovan. I’m closely associated with Ms. Gaga, Ms. Bates, and Mr. Wittrock. He has very interesting relationships with relationships with lady folk in his life, and I’ll just leave it at that.”
Angela Bassett: She plays an actress who visits the hotel often. Bassett says, “I’m sexy, have a strong long lasting relationship with Stephanie’s [Lady Gaga] character." She then adds. “I’ll probably be at odds with Donovan [Bomer] — who gets the girl?” So it seems like there's going to be a little fight over Gaga's character.
Finn Wittrock: He plays a model named Tristan Duffy who is “always looking for the next high, and he finds the biggest high in Lady Gaga. We have a lot to do together. She sees all of me.”
Chloe Sevigny: Her name is Alex Lowell in the story, she is the wife of Wes Bentley’s character. She is also a mother and a doctor. Sevigny teases, “We are dealing with a great loss in our family and coming to grips with that among other things.”
Wes Bentley: He is Alex's husband, and a detective. So what brings him to the hotel? According to the actor, “I’m investigating some grisly murders which brings me to the hotel.”
Cheyenne Jackson: He's playing Drake, a fashion icon. "He’s trying to creatively reestablish himself and moves from New York to L.A. He’s a father and a little desperate.”
Denis O’Hare: “I’m playing Liz Taylor, movie icon.” The character isn’t really playing Elizabeth Taylor, "but rather someone who is inspired by 'Butterfield' and 'Cleopatra' and that eye makeup." O'Hare explains, “I shaved my head for the part — and other body parts. I work in the hotel and the lounge called Blue Parrot Lounge.”
That's all of the information the creative talent had to offer! I'm sure we'll learn more as the series gets closer to premiering on FX on October 7th.