Only 5 American Horror Story Actors Share Main Cast Billing In Each Season

American Horror Story introduced the television industry to a new kind of anthology series, tying them all together with an ensemble cast, who are tasked with playing different characters in every season. While no actors at this point have appeared in every single season of American Horror Story, there are only five who have been billed as main cast in every season they have been in, and they’re not who one might think.

American Horror Story has a long history with a range of different actors, many of whom have played a number of important characters throughout the different seasons. For instance, Sarah Paulson has played no less than 12 different characters over the course of eight seasons. During that time, she’s earned five Emmy nominations for her work on show, which launched her into a household name. The only season she wasn’t in was season 9, 1984. Similarly, Evan Peters has been in every season except season 9.

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Though it might sound surprising, Sarah Paulson hasn’t been billed as a main cast member in every season she’s been in. For example, in American Horror Story season 1, Murder House, she played medium Billie Dean Howard, who had a memorable role – and appeared in future seasons – but was a supporting cast member. Other standout actors, like Angela Bassett, Emma Roberts, and Jessica Lange, give memorable performances, but are still not billed as main cast members in every season they appear. The only five actors who have been billed as main cast members in every season they’re in are outlined below.

Evan Peters

Evan Peters has been a main cast member in every season, except the one he sat out, 1984. That means he’s played a major role in Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Roanoke, Cult, and Apocalypse. During his time with the show, he’s played a brooding high school shooter in Murder House, a daffy billionaire in Hotel, and a misogynistic maniac in Cult.

Denis O’Hare

Denis O’Hare is another actor who has been billed as a main character in every season he’s been in, starting with a sinister burn victim in Murder House and concluding with a double role in Roanoke. Nonetheless, O’Hare’s standout performance is as Liz Taylor, the trans bartender American Horror Story season 5, Hotel.

Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates is a standout in the horror world in general, where she’s played roles like Annie Wilkes in the 1990 movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery. For this reason, it makes sense that she has been featured as a main cast member in the seasons of American Horror Story she’s been in, which includes Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Roanoke, and Apocalypse.

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Her standout characters include a Baltimore-accented, bearded woman named Ethel in Freak Show and the dowdy receptionist, Iris, in Hotel. However, she also manages to steal the scene in both Coven and Apocalypse as a severed head and android, respectively.

Cheyenne Jackson

Another American Horror Story alum among those billed as main characters for every season appearance to date is Cheyenne Jackson. This fact is particularly interesting given that his roles in American Horror Story are relatively small compared to other, more prominently featured cast members. Still, he appears in Hotel, Roanoke, Cult, and Apocalypse. Jackson’s most memorable role was his turn as Dr. Rudy Vincent, the dastardly psychiatrist in season 7, Cult.

Billie Lourd

Billie Lourd is a relatively new cast member to the American Horror Story family, first appearing in Cult, and then in every season after that, including Apocalypse and 1984. Although her role was relatively small in Cult, she was billed as a main cast member; her role, Winter, was the sister of cult leader Kai Anderson (Evan Peters). From there, she became a standout character in Apocalypse as Mallory, who ends up running the antichrist over with her car. Finally, in 1984, she played Montana, a Jazzercise fanatic and girlfriend to serial killer, Richard Ramirez.

Next: American Horror Story’s Complete Timeline Explained