On Wednesday, Nov. 16, American Horror Story will wrap up its sixth spectacularly twisted season, pulling back the final curtain on the über secretive Roanoke. Ryan Murphy’s latest anthology has stirred headlines for a host of reasons, including its mysterious, intentionally misleading promos, string of ultra shocking reveals, and mass of stomach-churning gore. With such a full-blast run, fans are already eyeing what the series is plotting for its next installment, including which former stars will make the cut this time around. So who’s in the American Horror Story ’s Season 7 cast?
True to AHS form, few details have been unveiled thus far, and it’s likely that announcements won’t start trickling in for at least a few months. Roanoke famously kept its theme under lock and key until the very first episode, and while several actors were confirmed to appear, their roles were still very much ambiguous as far as the audience knew. Fortunately, Murphy has already promised to disclose Season 7’s focus next spring, giving the rumor mill plenty of time to kick in. Hints have already begun to leak and AHS has a history of recycling familiar faces, so there are a few good guesses to be made right now about who’s most likely on the docket, even if none have been confirmed.
Sure Bets
American Horror Story’s major players are near-guaranteed a place on the roster at this point. Only three stars have been in every single season thus far, and it would be quite the upset if they suddenly disappeared.
Evan Peters
Peters has been an AHS darling since his turn as troubled teen ghost Tate Langdon on Season 1’s Murder House. His part in Roanoke has been noticeably limited, so it would be great to see him bite back into a meatier role in Season 7.
Sarah Paulson
After starting small on Murder House with a stint as Craigslist medium Billie Dean Howard, Paulson quickly tackled a leading part in Season 2’s Asylum as tenacious journalist Lana Winters — a momentum she’s thus far kept.
Lily Rabe
From a sinister nun to a free-spirited hippie witch, Rabe has portrayed a number of fascinating characters over the years, solidifying herself as an AHS staple.
Maybes
AHS has a wealth of recurring actors to choose from. Any of these names have a chance of popping up, but some groups may be more likely than others.
Freak Show Veterans
According to TVLine, Murphy said in an October conference call that Season 7 will involve several Freak Show characters. This could mean returning roles for Jessica Lange and Emma Roberts, both of whom have expressed interest in revisiting AHS but haven’t resurfaced since Season 4. It could also indicate reprisals for actors who’ve only appeared in Freak Show, including Mat Fraser (Paul the Illustrated Seal), Grace Gummer (Penny), and Jyoti Amge (Ma Petite), among others.
Mainstays
Though not yet on par with Peters, Paulson, and Rabe’s sure-fire status, several actors have proved themselves standouts in AHS’ revolving door of a cast. Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, and Denis O’Hare have graced the bulk of the show’s seasons, while Finn Wittrock, Wes Bentley, and Cheyenne Jackson have gained traction throughout its later installments. Taissa Farmiga, too, is a franchise favorite, and recently made her much anticipated return to Roanoke after a two-season break. Any of them have a fair shake at landing on Season 7’s lineup.
New Faces
André Holland and Cuba Gooding Jr. both made their series debuts during Roanoke, while Adina Porter took on a much heftier role after a one-episode bit in Murder House. Murphy has been known to keep new faces in rotation, and their impressive leads bode well for repeat performances.
Hopefuls
Between stars we haven’t seen in far too long and breakouts that might be tied up with other projects, these names are the biggest long shots for the Season 7 cast.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s remarkable performance as Hotel's vampiric Countess earned widespread acclaim, and fans were ecstatic to see her reemerge in Roanoke. But the pop star is fresh off the release of Joanne, her first record in three years, which may mean she’ll be waylaid by supporting tour dates. Still, that doesn’t completely rule out an appearance. She hasn’t confirmed any tour plans, and even if she does, she could feasibly find time to film something small between concert stops.
Connie Britton
Britton was one of the driving forces behind AHS’ Season 1 success, but she’s yet to make a comeback since playing haunted mom Vivien in Murder House. This is due in large part to her starring role in ABC’s Nashville, though she’s said in the past that she’d love to return to AHS should her schedule allow it. She'll likely at least make a cameo for the Coven and Murder House crossover whenever that unfolds.
Zachary Quinto
Quinto has been absent from AHS following back-to-back turns in the first two seasons. His run as demented psychiatrist Oliver Thredson was particularly brilliant, and it would be wonderful to see him back on board the series.
Gabourey Sidibe
Sidibe started strong in AHS as Coven’s human voodoo doll Queenie, but has only taken on brief guest stints since. It’s about time she hooks another leading part.
Jamie Brewer
Brewer first charmed fans as neighbor girl Adelaide Langdon in Murder House, and went on to star as Coven's clairvoyant witch Nan. She only graced two episodes of Freak Show before pulling back, however, and deserves another stab at a larger role.
What Ryan Murphy has in store for American Horror Story's seventh outing is anyone’s guess after such a surprise-packed season, but any of these actors would be a welcome addition to the cast.
Images: Prashant Gupta, Frank Ockenfels (2)/FX; Giphy (11)
