https://www.youtube.com/embed/wIlpcIalAno
Ryan Murphy has managed to secure himself an entire hour at Comic Con, thanks to a panel that combined the fifth season of FX's American Horror Story and the women of Fox's new fall show Scream Queens. With the two casts combined onstage, fans were treated to Angela Bassett (still gorgeous), Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Skyler Samuels, Keke Palmer, Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher's daughter!), Lea Michele (still shiny) and Mr. Murphy himself (wearing a combination pinstripe/denim jacket and newsboy cap).
With two shows to discuss, many a tidbit was shared. Here's what you need to know.
American Horror Story
• During Freak Show, Kathy Bates would practice her Baltimore accent by singing the national anthem in her character's voice. Sarah Paulson posited that Bates just used it all the time anyway.
• The character of Amazon Eve was originally meant to be a man, but Murphy said he watches a lot of audition tapes and his always prepared to change his perspective on a character if he sees a performance that moves him.
• Murphy said he likes the anthology format because it helps actors stay passionate about the work by not forcing them to commit for more than one season at a time. He also said they can keep coming back if they want, "or go off for a year and come back… Like Jessica Lange." Do not toy with us.
• There will be no musical numbers in AHS: Hotel. Not even from Lady Gaga, who will be playing a villainess as per her request to Murphy.
• Sarah Paulson's good luck streak on AHS (a relative term) is about to end. It was recently brought to Murphy's attention that she's the only one to survive every season so far, and his response was, "We have to take care of that right away."
• The best character names for Hotel will be Evan Peters as Mr. March and Sarah Paulson as Hypodermic Sally.
• Paulson and Peters called the coming season their favorite yet, and described it as "sexy and dark" and "very sexual."
• In addition to the Jessica Lang bomb, Murphy acknowledged that the AHS seasons are all part of a greater universe. Pepper was the first connecting link and more will arrive in Hotel. He added that they series will have "a very cool thesis statement at the end of the run."
• Samuels, who's a star of Queens but also appeared in Freak Show says John Carroll Lynch, who played Twisty the Clown, is the nicest man. We are certain she is only saying this to protect her mortal soul from his dark clutches.
Scream Queens
• Murphy had no intention of doing the show without Jamie Lee Curtis. He's a fan (like the rest of us), and expressly wrote material for her that he just wanted to see her living out "You want to see her kicking ass and fighting back," said Murphy. "I wanted to see Jamie Lee Curtis have a sex scene with an 18-year-old. I wanted to see something irreverent and fun and her being powerful and large and in charge. So that's what we did." Fortunately, Curtis committed before even seeing a script.
• Queens was first imagined during AHS: Coven; Murphy says it was framed as "Halloween meets Heathers."
• Michele described Murphy's pitch to her for Queens as "New show. Emma Roberts. Jamie Lee. Neckbrace. Are you in?"
• Curtis acknowledged her glorious trashy horror movie past, and said it was those experiences that made working with Murphy such a joy. "It is such a pleasure, and for me a rarity," she said, "to be able to actually have writing which supports everything you do, and almost makes you not need to do anything, because the work speaks for itself."
• The actors don't know who plays the killer, but Murphy has had them do multiple takes of scenes as though they were the killer. He says if you watch the pilot carefully you can discern who the murderer is based on which takes he edited in.
• Look out in episode two for a "wordless homage" by Jamie Curtis to Laurie Strode and her Halloween roots.
Panel Highlights
• Sarah Paulson shouting "I AM the God damn Supreme!"
• Kathy Bates, in sunglasses, answering the question of who her favorite superhero is:
Kathy: "Hey Matt, who's that Armenian guy who does that incredible dance?"
Matt: "Joe Manganiello?"
Kathy: "THAT is my favorite super hero!"
• Sarah Paulson mocking Evan Peters' clipped, bro-y answers to questions and their ensuing mocking of each other.
• Jamie Lee Curtis, asked why this is her first Comic Con, answering "I've been selling yogurt that makes you shit for six years."
Scream Queens premieres September 22; American Horror Story: Hotel will likely follow shortly after.
