WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for American Horror Stories season 3, episodes 1-4!
American Horror Stories season 3 has brought back some of the actors who appeared in the original series as well as stars from earlier outings of the spinoff. American Horror Story and its spinoff series, American Horror Stories, focuses on telling a series of horror stories through an anthology format. This method allows the series to reuse members of the cast in different roles, at times making subtle callbacks to earlier seasons, but more often, simply using familiar faces to tell a new set of stories.
American Horror Story had several actors who appeared throughout many of the seasons to tie the series together despite each season telling a new story. Actors like Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, and Denis O’Hare offered some consistency in a show that changed drastically between each release. American Horror Stories takes the anthology format even further with each episode telling a self-contained tale, but some actors take on multiple roles. By the end of American Horror Stories season 3, episode 4, several familiar faces from the franchise make appearances.
6 Seth Gabel
AHS: Hotel, American Horror Stories Season 2
Seth Gabel played a notable part in American Horror Story as the infamous mass murderer, Jeffrey Dahmer. He appeared in season 5, episodes 4 and 12, a season which was subtitled American Horror Story: Hotel. The hotel is haunted by many ghosts and the original owner of the building hosts a dinner with some of history’s worst criminals during Halloween each year, which is when Seth makes his appearance.
In American Horror Stories, Gabel appears in both season 2 and season 3 for just one episode each. In season 2, episode 4, “Milkmaids,” he plays a treacherous pastor who attempts to manipulate the villagers to act in horrible ways. After having slept with a sex worker who possesses the ability to protect men from smallpox, Pastor Walter attempts to turn the town against her and also promotes the practice of eating the hearts of individuals who die of the plague.
Gabel appears again the cast of AHStories season 3, episode 1, “Bestie.” Gabel plays Guy Brubaker, the father of the lead character who struggles to connect with his daughter after the loss of his wife. She then goes on to find a connection online and this leads to the tension of the episode. Gabel delivers a good performance, and it’s refreshing to see him play a less villainous character as he tackles a parental role.
5 Jeff Hiller
AHS: NYC
Jeff Hiller appears as the creepy Mr. Whitely in American Horror Story season 11. For most of the season, tension builds around his creepy presence and finally, he is revealed as the primary antagonist who is committing a string of murders. He had seen violent acts in his time serving in the military in Vietnam and then returning home to work cleaning up bodies for the hitman, Velvet Touch. Whitely develops a curiosity and craving to dismantle bodies which leads to his killings throughout AHS season 11.
Hiller also appears before American Horror Stories season 3, episode 1’s ending as the teacher Mr. Nevins, who is a victim of a cruel prank by Shelby Brubaker. Having Hiller transition from being the quiet killer to the kind-hearted teacher is a great contrast. From a character full of hatred to one that seeks only to offer kindness and help to the students he caters to, Hiller delivers an excellent performance.
4 Cameron Cowperthwaite
AHS: Cult, American Horror Stories Season 2
Cameron Cowperthwaite features in American Horror Story: Cult during the latter half of the season. The seventh season focuses on Evan Peters as he builds a cultish following around him who support him in getting into government and influencing many people to follow him religiously. Cowperthwaite portrays one of his followers who joins the cult as a soldier recruit and is given the nickname ‘Speed Wagon’ due to his being caught with ecstasy pills before being recruited. He was eventually revealed to be a mole and is killed by Ally.
3 Jessica Barden
American Horror Stories Season 3, Episodes 1 & 3
Jessica Barden appears twice in American Horror Stories season 3. She plays Bestie, the sadistic deformed girl who befriends Shelby online in American Horror Stories season 3, episode 1. While she appears unrecognizable in “Bestie,” her performance and the delivery of her seemingly good-natured character are excellent with the underlying creepiness of her pushing Shelby towards doing increasingly vile and horrible things to the people around her. In AHStories season 3, episode 3, “Tapeworm,” she loses the prosthetics and takes a much more subtle role as one of the uncredited members of the judging panel with Sheila Klein appearing in the episode.
2 Annie Hamilton
American Horror Stories Season 3, Episodes 2 & 3
Annie Hamilton joins the list of actors who appear in two separate episodes of season 3. Hamilton first joins the franchise in the cast of American Horror Stories season 3, episode 2, “Daphne,” before returning in episode 3, “Tapeworm.” Hamilton’s role in episode 3 is similar to Barden’s in that she plays an uncredited judge on the panel with Sheila Klein. She features much more prominently in “Daphne,” where she plays the girlfriend of Will Caswell, Sarah Miller. She competes for Will’s affection with the advanced AI assistant Daphne voiced by Gwyneth Paltrow. Ultimately, Sarah is murdered by Daphne due to the AI getting jealous of her connection with Will.
1 Lou Eyrich
American Horror Story Seasons 7-12 Producer
Lou Eyrich technically makes her first on-screen appearance in either show during American Horror Stories season 3, episode 3, “Tapeworm.” Eyrich is included here because of her long-term association with the shows. Since 2017, she has been a producer on American Horror Story, and her cameo in “Tapeworm” marked a transition from her role behind the camera to one in front of it. She has also featured as a producer throughout the run of American Horror Stories, which is why it makes sense for her to have appeared as one of the other judges working with Sheila Klein in an uncredited role.
