Golden Globe and SAG Award winner Jessica Lange and Zachary Quinto are far from the only Season 1 cast members returning for American Horror Story‘s sophomore run. And yet despite the influx of familiar faces, the FX hit’s creators promise very different characters and all-new scares.
American Horror Story: Zachary Quinto Will Return in Season 2 – as a Series Regular!
On the heels of announcing that Lange and Quinto — who played Constance and ill-fated homeowner Chad — will be back as series regulars but in new roles, show bosses Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk revealed at PaleyFest12 on Friday that Evan Peters (Tate), Sarah Paulson (psychic Billie Dean) and Lily Rabe (doctor’s wife Nora) are also set to return — also as different characters.
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“Anybody could pop up at any time” and “Everybody will be playing the opposite of what they played,” Murphy said of his game-changing game plan.
Murphy previously said that Season 2 will revolve around Lange’s new character, while Quinto will play one of the two male leads.
American Horror Story Boss Promises ‘The Jessica Lange Show’ in Season 2
Murphy and Falchuk also teased that Season 2, which is to be set on the East Coast and involve an institution, will boast an “equally terrifying but very different vibe” from the first storyline involving the Harmon clan — and ghosts won’t necessarily be on hand.
“A supernatural element will always be a part of the show,” Murphy allowed. “But we’re trying to do something more historically accurate.”
As for what might be on the table, Murphy ruled almost nothing out, save for this: “Our only rule is no werewolves, and no vampires.”
Other topics covered during the PaleyFest12 panel discussion:
* It was noted that AHS‘ chilling title sequence was inspired by that for the David Fincher film Se7en, and was even created by the same people.
* Though Lange will not be playing Constance in Season 2, Murphy hopes to one day address a loose end regarding that off-kilter character: “We have not lost sight of the fourth child” once alluded to by the Harmons’ neighbor. “We want to answer that.”
* When asked if there might ever be any “cross-pollination” between Horror Story and Murphy and Falchuk’s Glee, after many laughs by them and the audience on hand, Falchuk said it’d be like hanging out with both your wife and your mistress: “I would not be interested.”
(With reporting by Vlada Gelman)
