Now that we know American Horror Story: Hotel will premiere on October 7th on FX, it's time to get to know the characters and inspiration of this season. At FX's Television Critics Assn. press event today, Entertainment Weekly reported what cast and crew members had to say about the new chapter of the horror anthology series. [Spoiler warning: key character details ahead.]
Ryan Murphy revealed that the decision to set this season in a hotel was influenced by the tragic and shocking 2013 death at Los Angeles' Cecil Hotel, when a woman was recorded acting strangely in an elevator before being found drowned in a sealed water tank on the hotel’s roof two weeks later.
Murphy also mentioned that AHS: Hotel will take place in downtown L.A., so don't expect to see a rural bed and breakfast.
Also on hand at the event was Sarah Paulson, who stated that her character, Sally, is a drug addict who's a far cry from any role she's played previously.
Lady Gaga was revealed to play hotel owner Elizabeth, a "wealthy social doyenne", in AHS: Hotel. Murphy said that Elizabeth is “consumed with art and fashion and people, and she has a nefarious plan that is revealed in the first episode.” Murphy also mentioned that Elizabeth is bisexual and will have several relationships with other characters.
Kathy Bates, meanwhile, will play Iris, the operator of the hotel who doesn't get along with Paulson's Sally.
Matt Bomer portrays Donovan, a womanizer of sorts.
Angela Bassett will play an actress who frequently visits the hotel and has a close relationship with Elizabeth.
Finn Wittrock plays model Tristan Duffy, who gets quite intimate with Elizabeth.
Chloë Sevigny portrays Alex Lowell, a doctor married to Wes Bentley's character, Detective John Lowell.
Cheyenne Jackson portrays "desperate father" and "fashion icon" Will Drake.
Denis O'Hare plays "movie icon" Liz Taylor, complete with shaved head. Taylor is an employ of the hotel and can be found working in the Blue Parrot Lounge.
To learn more about what Murphy has in store for fans this time around, visit our previous American Horror Story: Hotel coverage, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates:
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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