For more than a decade, American Horror Story has built one of the most recognizable identities on TV. And sure, it’s fair to say that, lately, the show hasn’t been quite the same as it used to be, but that’s why Season 13 is happening. For anyone who remembers the show’s peak during the 2010s, Ryan Murphy’s anthology was never only about its horror stories, but also about the cast that returned season after season to play completely different characters. Now, it’s time to bring everyone together to celebrate the history of such an iconic series that left a mark on so many people. We still don’t know exactly what the new plot will be about, but several characters are set to return, and a lot of it will revolve around what Coven and Apocalypse have already established.
So, we’ve put together a list of every main cast member who is officially confirmed to be back for the newest season and which of their characters will be revisited. Not every role has been announced yet, leaving plenty of room for speculation, but there are already some pretty remarkable returns that we can expect for sure.
Yes, it’s true that Leslie Grossman was never one of the biggest names in AHS, but over time, she became a much more consistent presence in the series through seasons like Cult, 1984, Double Feature, and all of the most recent installments. Since then, she has proven herself to be an actress who can handle extremely exaggerated characters without turning them into pure caricatures, and Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt from Apocalypse might be the best example of that. The character started out as a completely shallow socialite trying to survive the end of the world, but showed that there was someone much more interesting beneath all that superficiality.
Coco wasn’t one of the season’s main characters, but she came out of it as one of the most entertaining and surprisingly compelling members of the witches’ storyline, which is why it seems almost certain that she will return in the role for the new chapters. Now, the expectation is that she will have a much bigger role than she did before. Since the show has already established that she can survive situations far more dangerous than she initially appears capable of handling, it would be interesting to see the series explore this more mature version of the character.
Queenie was never the most powerful witch or the most developed character in Coven, but she always had a major level of importance because she was the link between several members of the Robichaux Academy and one of the few characters who could naturally move between different groups within the story. That is exactly why her absence was so noticeable when she became trapped in the Hotel Cortez. So bringing Gabourey Sidibe back isn’t just about completing the cast; it’s about restoring a dynamic that helped make that group work. Besides, she always had one of the most creative powers in the show, but both Coven and Apocalypse never truly explored its full potential.
Sidibe was even spotted filming scenes as Queenie for Season 13, so her return is already confirmed. Now, the question is what exactly her role will be in the new storyline. If Murphy’s idea really is to bring all of the show’s classic figures together against a brand-new threat, this could be the first time the witch gets the chance to take part in the action in a much more significant way. She has always been someone who could steal a scene, but now she deserves the opportunity to do even more.
Just like Grossman, Billie Lourd joined AHS when the show had already moved past its peak, but it didn’t take long for her to go from a newcomer in the cast to one of the most important actresses of the series’ recent era. In just a few seasons, she was able to be used in some of the most versatile ways possible, but it wasn’t until Apocalypse that she received a very significant role — one that now has a massive amount of potential. Mallory was introduced somewhat quietly, but by the end of the season, she had become one of the most important characters because of her powers and everything she was able to accomplish during the finale.
So, at this point, it feels almost inevitable that the actress will return as the character who, arguably, offers the most possibilities for connecting different storylines from previous seasons. On top of that, Lourd has already proven that she can carry more dramatic scenes without losing her natural presence, making it easy to imagine Mallory once again being at the center of the events rather than just following Cordelia’s lead. In Delicate, she even played another witch, and if Murphy really wants to explore a kind of multiverse within AHS, she could potentially bring that character back as well — but that’s only speculation for now.
When Emma Roberts left AHS, a lot of fans felt her absence. And sure, she returned to lead Delicate, but by then the show was already going through a much quieter period in terms of audience, and the character everyone really wanted to see her play again was Madison. Well, the actress is now officially returning as Coven‘s most outspoken and fearless witch in the new season. At first, Madison seemed like the typical popular girl archetype: arrogant, selfish, and totally convinced that she was better than everyone else. But Roberts had such strong comedic timing with the character’s sarcasm that Madison became more than just an annoying antagonist, eventually winning over a huge number of fans.
In Apocalypse, she became even more interesting because the character gained more layers and actually matured. The challenge for Season 13 is simply finding a new purpose for the witch without undoing everything she has built up until now. And considering how perfectly Roberts fits the role, how closely she has been associated with the character since Season 3, and how popular Madison remains among fans, it’s hard to imagine the show wasting her.
Among all the returns connected to the Coven universe, very few carry as much weight as Angela Bassett’s comeback, because this is where the mythology of that world really comes into play. Marie Laveau never needed a huge storyline to stand out, since from the moment she appeared, she carried a level of authority simply through the way Bassett portrayed her. She is the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, always several steps ahead and constantly in control of every situation. She’s still one of the most respected figures in the series, and Bassett, who also has a history with seasons like Freak Show, Hotel, and Roanoke, has now confirmed her return to the role.
The last time we saw the character was in Apocalypse, where Michael Langdon removed her heart, but because of the time travel element, everything was eventually reset back to how it was before. But remember that she had one of the strongest rivalries with Fiona Goode? With Jessica Lange returning, even though her character’s story came to an end in Coven, it’s exciting to imagine a new interaction between them. Still, Marie Laveau represents much more than just a rivalry, because she is part of an entire side of the mythology that the series never really explored — now might finally be the perfect opportunity to change that.
Kathy Bates has played many characters throughout AHS‘s history, and she manages to shine in every single one of them, no matter how different they are from each other. And although she has been confirmed for the new season, her role remains a mystery for now. However, considering that Coven and Apocalypse seem to be the main seasons getting revisited more heavily, it’s fair to speculate that Madame Delphine LaLaurie and Ms. Miriam Mead are the most likely characters we could see again (especially the first one, who is iconic and even earned the actress an Emmy for her performance). Both characters are villains, with one of them, despite being dead, still connected to the witches’ storyline, while the other remains dangerous because of her ties to the Antichrist’s plot.
It’s possible that her role in the new season will be limited, since Bates previously mentioned that she only filmed for one day. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean her appearance will be insignificant. Delphine, in particular, has a direct connection to Marie Laveau, and in a story like this, a single well-crafted scene could be enough to justify her return. In fact, that might even be the best approach: using her presence not to take over the story, but to reinforce the connection between the show’s past and the new conflict.
Among the cast, there are some actors who have always been somewhat underrated, and Frances Conroy is definitely part of that group. She has never received the same level of attention as Lange or Sarah Paulson, but the truth is that she has been there since Murder House and has been part of some of the most memorable moments throughout the show’s history. For the new episodes, the character officially returning is Myrtle Snow, of course, one of the members of the Witches’ Council and almost a motherly figure to Cordelia. In Coven, she is elegant, funny, and unpredictable all at the same time, and it would feel strange for her not to return now, especially because she serves such a specific purpose within that universe.
Myrtle has always been present as a mentor, an advisor, or the person willing to say what nobody else would dare to say. In Apocalypse, for example, she is essential to the transition of the Supreme title from Cordelia to Mallory, since she is the one who recognizes the young witch’s extraordinary potential. Within the group, she represents a figure of immense wisdom, so even without knowing the full details of the new season, she is almost a necessary presence. As for whether she will portray any other characters, that remains unknown.
It’s hard to think of anyone who represents AHS more than Evan Peters, thanks to the incredible number of characters he has played throughout the years. For a decade, he was one of the show’s most important pieces, moving between protagonists, antagonists, and morally complicated characters with impressive ease. Just look at Tate Langdon, Kit Walker, James Patrick March, or Kai Anderson, and it’s clear how each one of them has a completely different identity. But what about Season 13? Who will he play this time? According to Murphy, five of his characters will be returning, although we still don’t know exactly which ones. However, it’s fair to speculate that James March is one of the strongest possibilities.
Kyle is the zombie frat boy who was part of Coven, but he never appeared in Apocalypse. At the time, there was no explanation for his absence, but this could finally be the moment for him to return in some way. Still, the owner of the Hotel Cortez and even Tate, who had a crucial connection to the origin of the Antichrist in Season 8, feel like much more natural choices to revisit. The goal of the new episodes is to celebrate AHS‘s history, and even if some of these returns could be seen as fan service, Peters is probably the actor whose comeback makes the most sense based purely on his legacy.
If Peters became the male face of the show, it’s fair to say that Sarah Paulson did exactly the same on the other side of the cast. It’s almost impossible to think about AHS without remembering at least one character played by her: Lana Winters, Sally McKenna, Ally Mayfair-Richards, Billie Dean Howard, and especially Cordelia Goode show just how versatile she has always been throughout the series. Even while playing different characters, she managed to make each one feel entirely unique. Cordelia’s return is already fully confirmed, and honestly, it couldn’t be any other way, but she is another actress Murphy has announced will be playing multiple figures.
According to the showrunner, in her case, there will be around six or seven characters in total, which already creates a lot of excitement because her involvement alone gives an idea of the scale Season 13 is aiming for. Paulson has been part of practically every important era of the show, so even if Cordelia appears to be the main one in the new conflict, the new episodes could carry more weight only because of her presence. Basically, it’s hard not to be excited about her return, since AHS has never quite felt the same without her. It’s no coincidence that the series started to lose some of its spark during her absence (even though she eventually returned for Double Feature).
The biggest highlight of the new season is, without a doubt, Jessica Lange. Before Paulson and Peters established themselves as the recognizable faces of the show, she was the one carrying AHS season after season. From Murder House to Freak Show, the actress led some of the most iconic characters in TV and helped turn the anthology into a phenomenon. Because of that, for years and years, it seemed almost impossible to believe that she would actually return, especially since she had never hidden the fact that she considered her journey with the series to be over. Thankfully, it was Murphy’s pitch for the new story that immediately convinced her to come back.
And as confirmed, she will reprise Sister Jude, Fiona Goode, Elsa Mars, and Constance Langdon. All of them died during their respective seasons, although one of them only had her tragic fate revealed when the first crossover happened in Apocalypse. And that’s exactly where things become interesting: how will these characters actually be brought back? Of course, considering what Season 8 established, almost anything is possible, and the fact that the story was strong enough to convince Lange to return is already a reason to be excited — especially for fans who have been following the show since 2011.
American Horror Story Season 13 arrives on FX and Hulu on September 24.
