American Horror Story has been around since 2011, which means fans have many contenders for “best season” to choose from. But any list of favorites will likely include season three, Coven, and that’s something creator Ryan Murphy is clearly aware of. Some of its witchy characters returned for season eight, Apocalypse, which also crossed over with Murder House (season one) and Hotel (season five). But it looks like another round of spellcasting is in order, with today’s confirmation of just who AHS regular Sarah Paulson will be playing in the show’s upcoming lucky 13th season.
Shared on social media Wednesday, it’s Coven‘s Cordelia Goode—who also popped up in Hotel and played a key role in Apocalypse.
The caption’s note that “We have rebuilt the entire Robichaux Academy” suggests that the as-yet-unnamed season 13 will bring us right back to that fabled New Orleans school for witches. As for “The Supreme Rises,” as Entertainment Weekly reminds us, Apocalypse revealed that “[Billie] Lourde’s Mallory, an extremely powerful pupil at Robichaux Academy, is destined to surpass Cordelia as the next Supreme.”
Another much-anticipated American Horror Story return is Jessica Lange, as revealed earlier this week also on social media. She last appeared in Apocalypse. Not much is known about season 13’s plot beyond “witches,” so it’s not certain if she’ll be playing Constance Langdon, who Lange won an Emmy for playing in Murder House (and was nominated for playing in Apocalypse), Fiona Goode (who she won an Emmy for playing in Coven), or a different character.
The fact that Paulson is returning as Cordelia—Fiona’s daughter—is maybe a hint, but Fiona also died during the Coven season. So maybe not?
Several other familiar faces—step aside, Mike Flanagan; Ryan Murphy did the whole rotating-horror-ensemble-cast thing first—are returning for season 13. Along with Lourde, they include Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, and Leslie Grossman. Ariana Grande, who was on another Murphy show, Scream Queens, alongside Lourd and Roberts, will also appear.
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