This Is Who Evan Peters Will Be Playing In "American Horror Story" Season 8

9 April 2018, 16:19

By Katie Louise Smith

Ryan Murphy shared a LOT of details about the upcoming season of American Horror Story, including a few character descriptions and the returning cast members.

American Horror Story mastermind Ryan Murphy has spilled some brand new details about the eighth season of the show and it sounds like it's going to be a reaaaally great one.

Speaking at an American Horror Story ‘for your consideration’ event in Los Angeles on Friday, Murphy sat down with the cast of Cult to discuss the previous season and reveal what's to come in the next season - which may or may not be called AHS: Radioactive.

Instead of flat-out laying the details down on the table, Murphy let the cast members ask questions about the next season for themselves - and here's everything we found out from the panel, including who Evan Peters will be playing this year.

1) Evan Peters will be playing a hairdresser.

When Peters asked Murphy a question about his character, (“Will we be wearing wigs?”), Murphy revealed that he would be playing a hairdresser.

“I’ll tell you something about you, because I see how this is going,” Murphy said to Peters, before addressing the audience. “The funny thing is, we shot Cult and it was very taxing on Evan, and around Thanksgiving, I was talking to Evan and he said, ‘You know this show is so hard, it’s so difficult to do’."

"So your part this year is a comedic part, you are comedic and you play a hairstylist.”

2) Joan Collins will be playing Evan Peters' grandmother.

Murphy also revealed that Joan Collins (yes, THE Joan Collins) will be playing his character's grandmother, and that he will get to "style her hair."

3) He will be playing one of the leads.

Peters will play one of three leads on the show. Sarah Paulson and Kathy Bates have also been confirmed as leads. During the panel, Murphy revealed that the three leads will be minorities.

No other details were spilled about his character, or Paulson's or Bates' characters and what minority groups they will fit into. Could Evan's character, a (stereotypical?) hairdresser with a legendary gay icon playing the role of his grandmother, be part of the LGBTQ+ community?

4) The season will take place 18 months from now.

Murphy also urged the audience to look up what would be taking place in 18 months. October 2019. Your guess is as good as ours because back in January, he said it would be set 10 to 20 years in the future...

One fan seems to have already come up with a great theory and it's all to do with something President Kennedy said almost 58 years ago.

Reddit user Gato1980 pointed out that “October 6th will be the 58th anniversary of President Kennedy telling Americans to build nuclear bomb shelters." "I know it’s kind of a stretch and probably not right, I just thought it might have something to do with the ‘Nuclear’ title of the season that’s been floating around.” And, according to Politico, they're absolutely right.

5) We will be returning to the fantasy vibes of Asylum and Coven.

The tone of season eight will be a call back to the fantasy vibes of Asylum and Coven rather than the sinister realism of Cult and Roanoke.

“It’s heightened,” he said of the next season. “It’s not necessarily as real and grounded as the past season. We’re sort of getting back to Asylum, and Coven. That’s the tone of it.”

6) Shooting starts in June.

Murphy revealed that production on season 8 starts “around June 16.”

7) Paulson and Peters will be directing episodes this season.

As well as playing the leads this season, Paulson and Peters will both make their directorial debuts for the series in season eight. They join Angela Bassett as one of the few cast members who have directed episodes.

8) Billy Eichner, Cheyenne Jackson, Adina Porter and Leslie Grossman are all returning.

The majority of cast members from Cult will be back for more, including the hilarious and brilliant Eichner and Grossman. No word on whether Billie Lourd or Alison Pill will return to the series.

9) Murphy is actively trying to get Anjelica Huston to join the cast.

When asked if he would be adding Huston to the cast of season 8, Murphy said, “(we’re) talking. I love her.”

So there you have it! Season eight sounds a little... explosive, right?! For more details on season 8 of American Horror Story, here's a COMPLETE sleuth on everything we know so far. Is it September yet?