Tag Archives: American Horror Story: Hotel

9 premieres to look out for in October: ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Leftovers,’ ‘AHS: Hotel,’ ‘The Walking Dead’ & more

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We’ve made it through premiere week, and now as we enter October there’s more than a handful of cable offerings you cannot miss. Popular series like Homeland and The Walking Dead make their highly anticipated returns this month. On Halloween, Ash vs. Evil Dead raises hell (literally) as the iconic Sam Raimi creation comes to the small screen. And there’s so much more debuting in-between. Check out my picks after the break. Continue reading 9 premieres to look out for in October: ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Leftovers,’ ‘AHS: Hotel,’ ‘The Walking Dead’ & more →

Ryan Murphy dishes ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ details: Lady Gaga is The Countess, and she’s out for blood [Update: New spooky teasers inside]

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Thanks to a new spread presented by Entertainment Weekly, we now have a clearer gaze into what the next iteration of American Horror Story with Lady Gaga is going to look like. The facts are these.

The titular hotel is named Cortez, and it was built in 1930 “by the rich and charming but deeply psychotic James March” played by AHS vet Evan Peters. EW goes on to describe the Cortez as “beautiful art-deco” and “a labyrinthine structure built to hide March’s murderous activities.”

Presently, the hotel is run by Lady Gaga’s character, The Countess, “a glamorous socialite who attends art openings and fashion shows.” She drinks blood for nourishment, but creator Ryan Murphy doesn’t want fans thinking he’s diving into the beaten-to-death world of vampirism. “I prefer the term ‘ancient blood virus,’” Murphy tells EW. “It’s not vampires. It’s really a form of hemophilia in a way. There’s no capes and fangs.” The Countess has an appetite for love and sex, and we see this manifest in a love triangle between Donovan (Matt Bomer) and Tristan (Finn Wittock). Those infected with the virus, including The Countess and her lover Donovan, crave human blood. Murphy promises answers around the halfway mark. “Around the middle of the season, we sort of explore the origins of all that and [The Countess] and where [the virus] comes from.” What we do know early on, though, is how they kill. Without fangs, the infected slice up their victims with chainmail gloves; Gaga’s sport razor-sharp nails as seen in the initial teaser.

We also have some insight about the other characters inhabiting the hotel:

Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett), an actress/former lover of The Countess’ seeking revenge; Iris (Kathy Bates), Donovan’s mother and the front desk clerk; Liz Taylor (Denis O’Hare), a cross-dresser nicknamed by The Countess; Hypodermic Sally (Sarah Paulson), a junkie and friend of The Countess; Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley), a cop investigating a murderer named the Ten Commandments Killer; and The Addiction Demon, a creature in the vein of Rubberman or Bloodyface, who has no eyes or mouth but does wield a nasty, conical drillbit dildo.

Throughout the anthological series, Murphy has planted clues that help connect the disparate seasons together. With Hotel, he aims to make the most overt connection yet. “We do go to the Murder House for one episode,” he teases. Murder House, of course, was where spooky acts of terror took place in show’s debut season. In addition to that, a character from season 1 is making her way to Hotel. Marcy the realtor (Christine Estabrook), who sold the Murder House to the Harmons, returns as a real estate agent to show off the Cortez to Cheyenne Jackson’s character Will Drake.

And now, pictures! Lady Gaga’s Countess is on the cover of EW‘s latest issue, and inside you’ll find never-before-seen stills of other characters from AHS: Hotel including March, Donovan, and Tristan. Click here to view them all, and hop over here to browse more pictures from Gaga’s in-character photoshoot.

American Horror Story: Hotel premieres October 7 on FX.

Update (8/29): Murphy’s gone ahead and shared two more stills from the set: a turbaned Countess and a mystery man behind a mask.

Update 2 (8/30): Jump after the break to watch all five AHS: Hotel teasers, three of which are brand spankin’ new.

Update 3 (9/10): I’ve posted three more teasers after the break, “Spikes,” “Locked Up,” and “Hallways.” The latter is the first to include first looks at the ensemble cast!

Update 4 (9/14): Lady Gaga is the star of the latest 30-second spot for AHS: Hotel. Watch “Above & Below” directly after the break.

Update 5: (9/16): And the clips keep on comin’. This time around, however, it’s a 2-minute first look inside the new season, featuring soundbites from the cast. You know where to find it.

[Via EW 1, 2, 3] Continue reading Ryan Murphy dishes ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ details: Lady Gaga is The Countess, and she’s out for blood [Update: New spooky teasers inside] →

The first ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ teasers have arrived

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Here we go again. FX is back with new, frightening teasers to promote the upcoming season of American Horror Story. The fourth season is subtitled Hotel and it stars Lady Gaga this time around, not Jessica Lange. The video embedded above houses the two new teasers titled “Do Not Disturb” and “Beauty Rest.” It’s hard to say if any of the characters featured here will show up in Hotel, but those razor-sharp nails strangling the beautified bald man look mighty familiar if you ask me. The featured song? That’s Heidi Feek’s cover of “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Returning to the anthology drama this year: Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Evan Peters, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Chloë Sevigny, Denis O’Hare, Finn Wittrock, Lily Rabe, Emma Roberts, and Mare Winningham. Newcomers include Cheyenne Jackson (Glee), Max Greenfield (New Girl), Richard T. Jones (Hawaii Five-0), Naomi Campbell (Empire), and Darren Criss (Glee).

American Horror Story: Hotel debuts October 7 on FX. Stick it here for more teasers like these; if the past is any indication, this small trickle will open the floodgates to more tantalizing sneak peeks. Continue reading The first ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ teasers have arrived →

Comic Con: Lady Gaga enters ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ with flair

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Here’s a first look at Lady Gaga in American Horror Story: Hotel. The fleeting tease titled “Front Desk” features Gaga’s hand wrapped in a silver glove with protruding razor-sharp nails. Ding goes the concierge bell and the unmistakable AHS theme music plays the clip out.

At Comic Con, creator Ryan Murphy and the rest of the AHS panel kept season 5 details under lock and key. They did, however, reveal the names of some of the new characters. Kathy Bates is Iris, Angela Bassett is Ramona, Evan Peters is Mr. March, Matt Bomer is Donovan, and Sarah Paulson is Hypodermic Sally. Got to love that last one.

Ever notice that Paulson’s character always makes it to the end of every season? This year might break that unspoken rule. “I always want to write the opposite of the season before,” said Murphy. “Someone said to me, ‘Paulson is the only one that always lives,’ and I said, ‘We’ve got to change that right away.’” If she meets her demise, Murphy added, it will be done in “a very fun way.”

Gaga’s character’s name was not disclosed at the panel, but Murphy confirmed she’s playing evil. “She’s been very collaborate and incredibly fun. When you work with somebody like her, you sign up for something that I think is larger than life. Part of her role involves fashion. You want Lady Gaga to look a certain way so the designers have been coming out of the woodwork.” This peek at Gaga’s shiny, edgy glove speaks volumes.

What else? Despite Gaga being a singer/songwriter superstar, Hotel will not take advantage of her pipes; Murphy is looking to subvert expectations here. Also, “I felt I got that out of my system,” he said, most definitely referring to Glee and AHS: Freak Show.

Need further proof that all of the AHS seasons are connected? Murphy confirmed, “It’s part of a very connected universe with a very cool thesis statement at the end of the run.” Expect lots of familiar faces from previous seasons to check into Hotel when it premieres on FX in October.

Update: Gaga posted to Instagram a bloodied script revealing the name of the first Hotel hour: “Checking In.”

[Via THR; TVLine]

Jessica Lange confirms ‘American Horror Story’ exit, ‘AHS: Hotel’ cast additions announced

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Jessica Lange has left the building. After servicing Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology series American Horror Story for four memorable seasons, the Emmy award-winning actress is ready to call it quits. She made it official earlier this month in Los Angeles at PaleyFest.

“Yes, I’m done,” said Lange. “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.”

Lange, who played Constance Langdon in Murder House, Sister Jude Martin in Asylum, Fiona Goode in Coven, and Elsa Mars in Freak Show will be greatly missed by AHS fans everywhere. In a sense she was the show up to this point, portraying distinctly powerful and emotional characters in each iteration.

Though nobody can fill those shoes, the show must go on. Murphy previously enlisted Lady Gaga to star in the upcoming American Horror Story: Hotel, and since that exciting announcement even more cast additions have been made. Matt Bomer, Wes Bentley, Chloë Sevigny, and Cheyenne Jackson are checking into season 5 as well. The former three are no strangers to AHS; Bomer appeared in last season’s Freak Show as Michael Chiklis’ boy toy Andy, Bentley also popped up under the tent as the hypnotizing Edward Mordrake, and Sevigny was nymphomaniac Shelley in season 2’s Asylum. Jackson has worked with Murphy before on Glee as Vocal Adrenaline coach Dustin Goolsby.

Tight-lipped as ever, Murphy and cast did not spill Hotel details at PaleyFest. The prolific showrunner did, however, briefly touched upon a season 5 clue hidden inside Freak Show. This image of a top hat on a coffee cup “was not only an homage to the 1935 film Top Hat, but also a wink that season 5 would be set in a hotel like that film,” reports Deadline. Guess I’ll be watching that movie before Halloween rolls around.

American Horror Story: Hotel premieres this October on FX.

[Via Deadline; EW]

Lady Gaga joins ‘American Horror Story’ in season 5 lead role

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American Horror Story has found its star for season five and it’s Mother Monster.

Lady Gaga, hot off her Sound of Music tribute performance at the Oscars, is confirmed to be the lead in the next installment of FX’s American Horror Story. Like every season before it, the plot, as well as Gaga’s role in it, are being kept tightly under wraps. In a surprising move, however, in addition to revealing this exciting cast addition, series creator Ryan Murphy also deemed it time to announce the installment’s name: American Horror Story: Hotel. Murphy dropped numerous clues in last season’s Freak Show pertaining to Hotel; did you catch any? By my count, there were myriad references to space, but Murphy quickly shut that theory down since the show is tied down to taking place solely on American soil.

This marks Gaga’s first major acting gig. Following a small uncredited role in The Sopranos in 2001, she most recently made cameos on the big screen in Machete Kills and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Even still, we all know the artist can hypnotize with sexy, captivating performances via music videos.

With Gaga locked in as lead, you must be thinking: what does this mean for franchise star Jessica Lange? Prior to Freak Show‘s debut, Lange announced that it would be her final run with the show. Since then, however, she has made whispers about a potential comeback. So then, her commitment remains up in the air until further notice. My guess: she’ll at least make her mark with a memorable cameo.

Watch Lady Gaga’s AHS: Hotel announcement video embedded above; and don’t worry, Ryan Murphy retweeted it to confirm its authenticity.