‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ Fills Another Vacancy

As American Horror Story: Hotel nears its premiere date, and the plot, along with all of those macabre subplots, is revealed bit by bit, it seems that the casting phase for this year’s American Horror Story saga should be complete by now. Not so. Adding new characters seems to be Ryan Murphy’s favorite pastime and this week the American Horror Story showrunner has answered that call by bringing in an actress known for her past American Horror Story appearances, just to list a few of her many credits.

Mare Winningham will be checking into American Horror Story: Hotel. Mare will be playing the establishment’s laundress and it has been noted that Mare’s character will also be working closely with Evan Peter’s Mr. March in the new season. What could a laundress possibly have to do with Mr. March, who has been described as something of a playboy, reminiscent of Howard Hughes? It seems likely that March will be enlisting Winningham in some very nefarious plots and, considering the types of characters Mare has previously played on American Horror Story, it seems Winningham’s character may be all too willing.

Mare Winningham’s first appearance on American Horror Story was during the Coven season. Mare played Alicia Spencer, the abusive mother of Evan Peters’ Kyle Spencer character and this tidbit at once screams of the connections Ryan Murphy previously alluded to between the different seasons. Again, Winningham and Evans will find themselves playing characters that are closely interconnected on American Horror Story. It may be wise to watch how these characters develop throughout the season.

Later, Mare returned in American Horror Story: Freak Show as Pepper’s sister, Rita Gayheart. As it turns out, Rita is only too eager to shuffle poor Pepper off to Briarcliff, the sanitarium featured in American Horror Story: Asylum.

Ms. Winningham has been acting since the late seventies, though Mare’s breakout role came with the 80s angst-filled, coming-of-age hit St. Elmo’s Fire (1985). Through the years, Winningham has appeared in a string of hits and television series in both starring and supporting cast roles. In recent years, Ms. Winningham has focused on television, working in a series of recurring roles in such favorites as The Affair, Under the Dome, Torchwood, and Hatfields & McCoys.

American Horror Story: Hotel will premiere on Wednesday, October 7, on FX.

[Featured image courtesy of FX/American Horror Story]