American Horror Story boss Ryan Murphy has gathered all of your favourite cast members for the upcoming 13th season, which is set to be a “tribute” to the whole show. The latest instalment will see the likes of Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts and Kathy Bates reprising their various iconic roles from the last 15 years.
“This season is a tribute to all of the seasons, which we’ll never do again,” Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter.
“But it was fun. It was like getting the band back together and once they got on the set with me, it was like we never stopped making this. Most of them had accents and they instantly fell back into their characters. It was fascinating and thrilling.”
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However, one star who will be missing from the action is Ariana Grande, who was set to make her AHS debut in season 13. Her casting was announced last year but she later exited the project to prioritise her Eternal Sunshine tour.
“I love Ariana Grande. We’re great friends. I had an idea and I came to her and she, very immediately, said, ‘I’m not sure because I think I’m going on tour,'” Murphy recalled. “I don’t think the tour had been announced, and she had obviously just finished the Wicked movie.”
Ultimately, their schedules didn’t quite line up and Grande was forced to turn down the episode. But Murphy shared that the star was welcomed to appear in “another season”, which she gladly accepted.
“You have to be respectful. Who is busier than Ariana Grande? No one. She had told me at the time, ‘I have this album that’s dropping.’ It was really, truly a scheduling conflict.
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“I said, ‘OK, we’ll kick that can down the road,’ and she said, ‘Great.’ Ariana is a big fan of horror. She’s obviously done homages of that in her work; she did Scream Queens for me and loved the experience, and people love her in that show. So I will always work with her.”
Murphy added: “I love her, and I support her. It was a very big swing, but I might bring that back for another season, per Ariana’s availability. I think the world of her.”
American Horror Story airs on FX and streams on Disney+.
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information. Â