When an OG actor returns to a series, it feels like the debut season all over again. Nothing is better than seeing a familiar face in an anthology series, even though they’ll most likely be playing a completely different role. Still, their presence brings a certain touch that was missing when they departed. That’s most likely how American Horror Story viewers felt when they no longer saw Sarah Paulson in the horror anthology. Yet, it is still popular and is now heading into Season 13 with “something cool,” according to creator Ryan Murphy. Nowadays, making it beyond several seasons is nearly unheard of, which is why, to keep the show a trending topic, creator Ryan Murphy is giving people what they want: details about the long-awaited new season. According to Deadline, the Golden Globe winner teased that Paulson would return to the show in some capacity. This is after a fan asked if the new season could still be expected sometime this year. The creator shared first-look photos in a post on Instagram and in the comments replied to an eager fan. “Sarah Paulson and I are cooking up something cool!” he wrote.

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Paulson, who has won numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, is one of the most sought-after actresses in the business. She gives her all to each role, which could be seen even before she starred in American Horror Story. In October 2024, she also teased a return to the series while appearing on Good Morning America. She started by saying there was “a big chance” she’d go back to her television horror home.
“I’ve got everything crossed. I would like to do it more than anything. It’s my home. It’s where I started. … If I could be reunited with Evan Peters and Ryan Murphy, you can pretty much tell me what time I will be there, and I will be there.”
American Horror Story debuted on FX on October 5, 2011, and its first season was subtitled “Murder House,” in which Paulson made a recurring appearance as celebrity medium Billie Dean Howard. Her main cast debut came in Season 2, subtitled “Asylum.” This season centered on the stories of the staff and inmates who occupy the fictional mental institution Briarcliff Manor and intercuts with events in the past and present. The star-studded cast includes Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Thredson, Joseph Fiennes as Monsignor Timothy Howard, Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters, Evan Peters as Kit Walker, Lily Rabe as Sister Mary Eunice McKee, Lizzie Brocheré as Grace Bertrand, James Cromwell as Dr. Arthur Arden, and Jessica Lange as Sister Jude Martin.
Why Did Sarah Paulson Leave American Horror Story?

FX

Sometimes actors are so good in a series, that viewers never want them to depart. However, things happen (they get offered new opportunities, grow tired of the same role, etc.), and they leave. During an interview with Andy Cohen, Paulson said of her role, “I was so underwhelmed by the whole experience. I felt really kind of trapped by my responsibility and my contractual obligation to do American Horror Story. As much as it’s my home, and I’ve loved it always, it was the first time I felt like I wish I could have gone to Ryan [Murphy] and said, ‘Please let me sit this one out, let me out.'” Source: Deadline