A key member of American Horror Story‘s starry ensemble has confirmed she won’t be back for the next chapter in Ryan Murphy’s anthology series. Jessica Lange, who took leading roles in all four seasons to date, tendered her resignation on stage at this weekend’s TV convention Paleyfest.
“I’m done,” she told the crowd during the AHS panel. “We’ve had a great run here. I have absolutely loved doing these four characters that I’ve had the opportunity to play, and in all madness, I love the writers and Ryan and the insanity of shooting it.”
Her stint on the show saw the actress grapple with multiple personas across various epochs and scenarios. Those dynamic performances landed her several major awards, including two Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and a SAG award.
Lange’s departure will usher in a new wave of talent for the show’s next season – American Horror Story: Hotel. Murphy and co. are expected to lure in many returning cast members who, like Lange once did, will re-appear as entirely new characters. One of those is now confirmed to be Matt Bomer, who first stepped in the crazy world of AHS in season 4 for a recurring guest role on Freak Show. Here’s his response to the announcement:
“I love collaborating with Ryan Murphy. It feels like this world where there are no bounds.”
That boundless world has already nabbed its first new inhabitant. Bomer will co-star alongside Lady Gaga, who revealed her involvement in the show late last month. Asked on whether or not cupid’s arrow will strike, Bomer said “I can’t confirm or deny that there might be a love interest.”
In the same breath, it was also announced that Cheyenne Jackson had also joined the cast. Details concerning either of these new characters – or even the story for the season – are still being kept firmly under wraps.
Production on season 5 of American Horror Story will take place over the summer, and the show will debut on FX this fall.