American Horror Story: Coven Character Details and Casting News

There have been a number of American Horror Story: Coven news bits this week and we've compiled them together into one big update.First, we're starting with character details. Jessica Lange is likely to be the main focus of this season and it's been revealed that she's playing a witch named Fiona. Here's what she had to say about the characters in the show:

via THR: "Some of us play witches, some of us play historical characters... I do play a witch. We move back and forth in time. It encompasses a lot of different stories. I've shot two days so far, one day entrances and exits, the other day a scene. I don't know who the character is yet. It comes in little dribs and drabs."

Sarah Paulson will play Cordilia, Fiona's daughter, and is said to be similar to Cordilia from Shakespeare's King Lear. It was previously said that Kathy Bates would play a character who would rival Annie Wilkes in Misery. Thanks to THR, we now know that she'll be playing Madame LaLurie, "a Louisiana-born socialite and serial killer who kept slaves bound in her home." Angela Bassett is playing Marie Laveau, a character based on a real voodoo expert who had "a big multiracial following with her daughter."

We previously reported that Precious star Gabourey Sidibe will be joining the cast, along with Patti LuPone and Emma Roberts (Scream 4). Actors from past seasons confirmed to return earlier this year include Taissa Farmiga, Frances Conroy, Lily Rabe and Evan Peters. The new additions to the "Coven" cast are returning  Season 1 actors Denis O'Hare, Alexandra Breckenridge, and Jamie Brewer.

There are still a lot we don't know about American Horror Story: Coven, but it was revealed that the story involve "Salem witches fleeing to the South." The new season will premiere later this year and is expected to include thirteen episodes.

[Casting News via Ryan Murphy, The Huffington Post]