Lady Gaga to Star in FX's 'American Horror Story'
Previous, 8:30 a.m.: Lady Gaga is joining the American Horror Story family.
The Grammy-winning pop culture icon has been tapped to star in Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s FX anthology, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Gaga — aka Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta — will make her series regular acting debut on the fifth season of the horror series. She becomes the first confirmed casting for the next incarnation of the Emmy-nominated drama.
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Gaga’s casting (which comes shorty after Oscars tribute to Julie Andrews dominated social media as well as her engagement to Chicago Fire star Taylor Kinney) is the latest coup for Murphy, who previously persuaded leading ladies including Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates to join his ever-evolving AHS. Gaga also becomes the latest pop icon to join one of Murphy’s shows after former American Idol breakout Adam Lambert nabbed a recurring role on Fox’s Glee.
Details about the premise of season five are being kept under wraps. But the season’s subtitle is typically announced during PaleyFest in March. Her role also comes after Freak Show, the fourth incarnation of the anthology, featured a number of musical performances by cast members Lange, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters.
The casting continues Murphy’s relationship with Gaga, who ranks as one of the world’s most influential people and holds 13 Guinness World Records and who has been an advocate for the LGBT community. Fox’s musical dramedy Glee previously featured an entire tribute episode to Gaga during its freshman season and has featured a number of her iconic songs including “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” “Telephone” and “Born This Way,” among others.
For Gaga, the role marks her largest TV gig to date and first series regular scripted gig after multiple appearances on unscripted fare including So You Think You Can Dance, The X Factor and American Idol.
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For AHS, meanwhile, Gaga’s casting arrives as the future of the anthology’s leading ladies remains in question. Star Lange has repeatedly said that season four — Freak Show — would likely be her last; co-star Sarah Paulson is set to star as Marcia Clark in Murphy’s FX anthology American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson; and Emma Roberts is poised to topline Fox’s horror comedy anthology Scream Queens alongside Glee’s Lea Michele. Two-time co-star Taissa Farmiga (Murder House, Coven) recently signed on to co-star in ABC’s anthology, L.A. Crime. Bates, meanwhile, is expected to return for season five.
Gaga is repped by WME and Grubman Shire.
Season five of American Horror Story will likely debut in October; a specific premiere date has not yet been determined.
