‘American Horror Story’ Recruits Angela Bassett For ‘Top Hat’ Inspired Season 5
[Warning: This article may contain spoilers for season five of American Horror Story.]
Dedicated fans of American Horror Story can hear the screeching of an oncoming cat fight already, with news that Angela Bassett has signed on to join the already star-studded cast of American Horror Story: Hotel, and it seems a cat fight is exactly what series showrunner Ryan Murphy has in mind. Murphy recently tweeted the revealing announcement of Angela Bassett’s AHS return.
“In October, Angela Bassett will be making lots of trouble with Lady Gaga in the ballroom and elsewhere. ?#ahshotel”
Angela responded to Murphy’s AHS news with an intriguing tweet of her own.
“Looking forward to mixing it up!”
For newcomers to the American Horror Story anthology series, Ryan reminded fans that Bassett has become almost as prominent in the AHS series as former star Jessica Lange and returning favorite Sarah Paulson.
“The Oscar-nominated actress first made her horrifying debut on AHS during Season 3 of the spooky installment. Bassett starred as Marie Laveau, the queen of Voodoo, in Coven before taking on the role of the three-breasted wonder Desiree Dupree in Season 4’s Freakshow.”
Utilizing her vocal talents, Ms. Basset will star in the latest addition to the American Horror Story anthology as Lolita Jones, a jazz singer who often feuds with Lady Gaga’s character, Elisa Starr.
Joining Ms. Bassett and Lady Gaga, returning favorites and newcomers to the American Horror Story anthology mingle together in the current cast list: Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Chloe Sevigny, Cheyenne Jackson, Lady Gaga, Wes Bentley, and Matt Bomer.
While Murphy has been careful about what is revealed concerning the plot details of American Horror Story: Hotel, rumors have been confirmed that the AHS season was inspired by the 1935 musical comedy Top Hat, also set in a hotel.
Top Hat starred Fred Astaire as an American dancer in Britain, who falls for a model (Ginger Rogers) he initially found annoying. Adding to the hijinks, Rogers’ character mistakes Astaire’s character for the show’s producer.
To the delight (or dismay) of American Horror Story fans, Lady Gaga confirmed that her role will incorporate music in some way. It seems AHS fans can expect another musical season. American Horror Story: Freak Show was heavy with musical numbers, including the hits “Life on Mars” from David Bowie and Lana Del Rey’s “Gods and Monsters.”
It was reported early, as the fourth American Horror Story season was just ending, that the new AHS season would incorporate the true story of Operation: Top Hat in some way. Sharing the same name with the Astaire/Rogers comedy, it may be possible that both sources may influence the story in American Horror Story: Hotel.
[Featured image: Angela Bassett courtesy of Angela Weiss/Getty Images]
