American Horror Story New Setting Revealed!

AHS boss Ryan Murphy reveals details on Adam Levine's "sexy" character

By Jenna Mullins Apr 19, 2012 1:30 PMTags
Jessica Lange, AMERICAN HORROR STORYPrashant Gupta / FX

A mental hospital? A college? A prison? The theories for American Horror Story's season-two setting have been flying around even before season one wrapped. And finally, after months of waiting, Ryan Murphy revealed at a special AHS panel session (hosted by our Kristin Dos Santos, at the TV Academy last night) where next season of his horror hit will take place.

Were any of your guesses correct? The answer is but a click away...

If you guessed amusement park...you were way off.

But, if you guessed institution for the criminally insane...you were right on the money! Murphy confirmed the rumors that season two of AHS will be set in a mental hospital, and Jessica Lange is in charge! "[Season two] is set on the East Coast at an institution for the criminally insane that is run by Jessica," Murphy said. "It's a completely different world and has nothing to do with season one, there's not a mention of season one. The second season is set in a completely different time period."

When it was asked if Zachary Quinto, who will be Lange's nemesis, might be an inmate, Murphy smiled that knowing smile and simply replied: "Maybe." Quinto himself said he was "really looking forward" to playing a new role on the same show. "The notion of coming back and playing something totally different and in a totally different world with many of the same actors...it's probably one of the more exciting things that has come across my plate in recent years," he said.

The Voice star Adam Levine recently confirmed his role on the show, and Murphy revealed that the musician immediately jumped on board after hearing what was in store for his character. "He's a sexy guy, so he needs to play a sexy guy, but a guy that is different than who you think he would play," Murphy spilled. "I pitched him the part and he listened slack jawed and simply said, 'I'm in.' The second season is fun, sexy and baroque. It has a lot of meat to it. It's a really gritty part."

Other returning folks from AHS' first run include Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Lily Rabe. But they might not be the only ones! "The idea is to work with actors that you love and are excited by. The second season there will be other people up on this stage, who are not announced, who will also be in it but are playing the polar opposite of what they were in the first season in every way." Just so you know, other people up on stage with him were Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Denis O'Hare and Alexandra Breckenridge.

 Other nuggets of info:

Season two will be completely self-contained with no crossover from season one. Because the season one story was self-contained, with a beginning, middle and end, AHS will be submitted as a miniseries for the Emmys this year.

There were six "Rubber Man" suits and Dylan McDermott insists Evan Peters kept one and wears it. He's kidding. We think. Also the much speculated-about photo of a heftier "Rubber Man" was a stunt double.

Executive producer Brad Falchuk revealed the writers did consider going the route of a certain fan theory (popular in our office!), that Dylan's character Ben was Constance's long lost fourth child.

Murphy confirmed that Glee's Finn, Rachel and Kurt are all moving to a haunted dorm at NYADA and that will be season two of AHS. Make. It. So.

Fans who want to see Adam Levine supersexy and scantily clad will "be satisfied," teases Murphy, adding that the second season of AHS will be even more sexualized than season one. Levine will appear in "much more" than one episode, as one half of a duo called "the lovers."