Sorry ‘American Horror Story’ Fans, Jessica Lange Is Gone For Good
American Horror Story fans have been speculating back and forth as to whether Jessica Lange would ever return to the series after her break last season, especially in the wake of announcing a new project with American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy. But in an interview with Charlie Rose, Lange has answered the question once and for all, and the news isn’t good for #TeamLange. Lange confirmed to Rose that she is done with American Horror Story for good. Sorry AHS fans.
“No, I had four years with that, four seasons, and each year was a marvelous character. Everything changed from one year to another which made it very interesting to me. But no, I think sometimes you come to the end of something…”
After playing a rather demented southern belle, a nun running an insane asylum, the matriarch of a coven of New Orleans witches, and the ring mistress of the freak show, Lange finally relinquished her role as the American Horror Story lead diva to Lady Gaga, who won a Golden Globe award in last season’s AHS: Hotel. While Gaga was very good as an elegant Vampiress running a hotel full of ghosts, misfits, and addicts, she really couldn’t fill the stilettos of a star like Jessica Lange. But then, who could?
“But, I mean, people loved you in that.”
Alas, a Hollywood legend like Lange needs to move on to bigger and better things, especially when bigger and better things involve American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy in a new series, called Feud. If you want to talk divas, Lange signed on to Feud to play one of the ultimate divas of the screen, Joan Crawford. Like AHS, Feud will have different storylines each season, but the first season will focus on the legendary feud between Crawford and fellow actress Bette Davis, to be played by Susan Sarandon. After all, Sarandon has those “Bette Davis eyes,” right?
While Lange is bound to turn in another stellar performance as Joan Crawford in Feud, no one can hold a candle to this Hollywood legend when it comes to delivering an emotional monologue, or even a musical number. Yes, Lange can even hold up to Lady Gaga in that department.
First, the “Name Game” musical number that was the one moment of levity in the very dark AHS: Asylum of Season 2. Sister Jude (Lange) becomes a “patient” in the very prison she created, and after a round of electroshock therapy, the fallen nun tries to reorient herself to reality in this fantasy sequence.
Lange’s monologue as Constance Langdon in American Horror Story: Murder House reminds us all of her history playing such classic southern belles as Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” It also shows why Lange received so many accolades during her reign on American Horror Story, including Emmy nominations every season and two wins, a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.
In addition to showing off her singing and dancing skills in AHS: Asylum, Lange turned in a heartbreaking monologue as Sister Jude.
For Lange’s final tour de force in American Horror Story: Freak Show, she performed several musical numbers in a German accent, including covering the late David Bowie’s “Heroes,” and this haunting cover of Lana del Rey’s “God’s and Monsters.”
While Lady Gaga has held her own as the new reigning diva of American Horror Story, she’s no Lange, who is irreplaceable. But AHS fans can look forward to Jessica Lange bringing Joan Crawford back to life on the small screen in Feud.
[Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP]
