Ryan Murphy has a history of shocking audiences, especially when it comes to American Horror Story. But it's not just the storylines, which have included everything from aliens and witches to nuns and the Antichrist, but the casting choices too. Macaulay Culkin's involvement in the mysterious season 10 is just the latest piece of casting news to delight AHS audiences.
Since season one, American Horror Story: Murder House, Murphy and Co. have assembled star-studded casts, usually with a surprising member to mix it up. In AHS: Murder House, it was Jessica Lange, the two-time Oscar winner who was doing her first TV series. Lange would go on to star in four seasons of the anthology series and after seeing all the success, Oscar winner Kathy Bates joined up in season three. Oscar nominee Angela Bassett also made her AHS debut with American Horror Story: Coven.
Surprising casting choices continued, and changed reasons why they were so surprising. Like Lady Gaga in American Horror Story: Hotel and Olympic athlete Gus Kenworthy in American Horror Story: 1984. Culkin's past TV work includes Dollface, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Will & Grace, Kings and Robot Chicken.
As we await more details on who exactly Culkin will be playing alongside Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Adina Porter, Lily Rabe, Angelica Ross and Finn Wittrock, take a walk down AHS memory lane and remember these surprising casting choices with us.
The OG of surprise casting moves, Jessica Lange's involvement from the start with American Horror Story: Murder House made the world take notice of the ambitious new FX series. The two-time Oscar winner starred in the first four seasons and returned as her Murder House character, Constance, for AHS: Apocalypse.
Emma Roberts would go on to become a fixture in Ryan Murphy's TV universe, but prior to her introduction in American Horror Story: Coven, her TV work was more kid-friendly. A role in Scream 4 would change her trajectory.
After luring Jessica Lange to TV, other acclaimed actors lined up for their chance to mix it up on screen in American Horror Story. In the third season, Oscar winner Kathy Bates joined the fray. She's stuck around, appearing in several seasons.
When Jessica Lange left, Ryan Murphy and Co. went the other direction and brought in Lady Gaga for American Horror Story: Hotel. This was Gaga's first major acting gig where she wasn't playing herself aside from an uncredited role in a 2001 episode of The Sopranos. After AHS: Hotel, she appeared in AHS: Roanoke.
Known for his comedic stylings, specifically his series Billy on the Street, Billy Eichner went serious for American Horror Story: Cult. He also appeared in American Horror Story: Apocalypse.
The iconic actress and dame, known for slaps upon slaps on Dynasty, joined the American Horror Story world in the time-jumping American Horror Story: Apocalypse.
For the younger-skewing slasher/ghost season American Horror Story: 1984, Ryan Murphy and Co. tapped Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy for his first acting role where he wasn't playing himself.
Little is known about what type of role Macaulay Culkin will be playing, just that he'll be starring opposite returning cast members including Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Lily Rabe.
American Horror Story season 10 will likely premiere in the fall on FX.