Cody Fern Explains Portraying the Antichrist on "American Horror Story: Apocalypse"
American Horror Story has certainly had its share of terrifying villains over the years (Twisty the Clown still gives me nightmares TBH). However, it could be argued that AHS: Apocalypse might have brought fans its scariest character yet with Michael Langdon, AKA the grown-up demon child from Murder House AKA the antichrist. I mean, you can’t get much more evil than the literal spawn of Satan, right?
It turns out that Cody Fern had some pretty wild ideas about his character leading up to filming the current season. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor revealed that showrunner Ryan Murphy didn’t exactly divulge all the details of his role when he initially signed on. “[Murphy] told me that I’d be playing this character who would have very long, blonde hair and an affinity for capes,” Cody said. “The way that he described the character was as if he was the protagonist, and that Sarah [Paulson]’s character — who I now understand is really Venable and Cordelia — is the antagonist.”
Yep, you read that right; Cody was under the impression that he’d be playing a character who, in his words, “ultimately was a good guy.” The actor even thought his name would be Elijah Cross; he didn’t realize that he’d be portraying Michael until receiving the final draft of the script. Once Cody got to his costume fitting, however, he knew something was up. “Everything was so dark and chic with the red scarves,” the actor told THR, adding that when he learned his character’s real name, he knew what he was about to walk into.
This isn't the first time that Murphy has seemingly "tricked" his cast for the purpose of character development. Earlier this year, Emma Roberts told Variety that, while filming Coven, the showrunner had told all of the actors portraying witches that they were each the Supreme. "We were all walking around like, 'Ugh, no one knows, but I’m the Supreme,'" she said at the time. "And then later, we all told each other."
As for Michael Langdon, Cody still doesn’t think that he is 100% evil (and neither do the fans, some of whom believe that the character’s good side might actually win out before the season’s end). As Cody explained to THR, “I’m not looking at [the world] through the eyes of someone who is evil or malevolent, or who wants the world to end. I’m looking at it through the eyes of someone who is lost.” He added that Michael has been hurt and abandoned in the past, and has been looking for guidance. “He wasn’t born with this idea that he has to end the world. He was born with a compulsion and now that compulsion has become personal.”
As for where his journey will go, Cody didn’t say much (after all, AHS is known for its unexpected plot twists at every corner). But he did tease that the season’s conclusion is “satisfying and overwhelming and fun and tragic,” adding “there’s going to be a battle and it’s going to be surprising. It’s not going to go the way we all think it’s going to go.” Luckily, with only a few episodes left, it won’t be much longer before we find out.
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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: 13 AHS: Apocalypse Fan Theories That Might Explain What the Hell Is Going On
