Why everyone left American Horror Story – and if they’ll return

American Horror Story has become known for its unique brand of storytelling – and 11 years later it’s still going strong.

With an ever-changing cast of characters, the show was anchored by a group of familiar faces that have continued to see the show through.

Most prominent is Sarah Paulson, who has appeared in every single season bar one – season nine’s 1984 – and even that was down to a scheduling conflict with Miss America rather than a lack of desire to be there.

But in September 2021, Paulson she stated during an interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen (via E! News), that season 10 may have been her last.

“It’s the first time in about three years where I don’t know. I think this is my last season of Horror Story, probably. I mean, I don’t know,” she said. “Every time he comes to me with some whack-a-doodle-stoodle character I tend to be like, ‘Yes! Let’s do it!’ But I don’t know.”

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With season 11 coming around the corner, will we be another familiar face down? She wouldn’t be the first.

Some faces and fan favourites have opted out of returning to the show or not come out for a number of reasons, or even ducked out after a few consecutive seasons only to come back later.

Here’s why the cast members have quit AHS and whether or not they’ll ever return.

Jessica Lange

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Before Sarah Paulson wore this crown, Jessica Lange was the undisputed queen of American Horror Story, with prominent roles in the first four seasons.

In Murder House (season one) she was the overprotective mother to a mass murderer and cunning next door neighbour Constance Langdon, before she became Sister Jude in Asylum in season two. In season three, Coven, she was the Supreme witch Fiona Goode, training a group of young girls who had all developed powers. For season four, she played Elsa Mars – star and leader of the eponymous Freak Show.

However, in the first major exit in the cast, Jessica bowed out after this in 2013.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at the time, Jessica’s explanation for her exit was simple – after four years on the project, she felt she’d run her course and struggled with the commitment every year.

“This is a six-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row,” she told the magazine. “I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.”

She was convinced to make a brief return in 2018 to reprise her role of Constance in Apocalypse, which tied into the events of Murder House, but since then she’s been absent.

In 2019, she confirmed her stance about coming back again and said: “I don’t think so. I feel like I got the best of it in those first four seasons.”

She has however maintained a working relationship with creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, joining Zoey Deutch and Ben Platt in the Netflix series, The Politician that same year.

Evan Peters

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Evan Peters temporarily left his long-held tenure on American Horror Story after the dark characters he played started to take a toll on his mental health.

During the course of the show’s run, Evan was a lead character in the first eight seasons, covering sinister parts including a lovesick mass murderer in Murder House, an asylum patient who wasn’t insane in Asylum, a sadistic serial killer in Hotel and a malicious and violent cult leader in Cult.

After season eight’s Apocalypse, Evan decided a break from the series, and acting in general, was necessary for his own wellbeing.

“I’m goofy, I’m silly, I like to have fun. I don’t like to yell and scream,” he frankly told GQ in 2018. “I actually hate it. I think it’s disgusting and really awful, and it’s been a challenge for me. Horror Story sort of demanded that of me.

“It’s been all a massive stretch for me and really difficult to do. It’s hurting my soul and Evan as a person. There’s this massive amount of rage that’s been called upon from me, and the emotional stuff that’s been called on me for Pose has been heartbreaking, and I’m sick. I don’t feel good.”

While for many this seemed indicative he would leave the show for good, he only ultimately sat out season nine’s 1984 before returning to the fold.

He’s also become a part of the X-Men universe as Quicksilver, and had a recurring role (also playing Quicksilver, kind of) in Marvel’s WandaVision.

Angela Bassett

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From her first appearance as Marie Laveau in season three’s Coven, Angela Bassett has been an icon in the AHS world.

She continued her stay on the series for four seasons, running through Freak Show, Hotel and then finally Roanoke. But since then she has been largely absent from the series.

During Apocalypse, which saw most former players return, she was conspicuously absent – even going as so far as to admit she was “in her feelings” about not reprising Marie Laveau to Hollywood Reporter when most of the other witches were present and correct.

Eventually, she did appear in the finale (just in time, we may add) but since then Angela has not returned to the world of American Horror Story.

Much like a lot of those inside the Murphy-verse, she has maintained her working relationship with the creator and is now a lead star on US police procedural, 9-1-1.

Gabourey Sidibe

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As human voodoo doll Queenie, Gabourey Sidibe became one of the stand-out stars of Coven, so it seemed natural for her to return.

However her role was scaled down for the following series, Freak Show, where she only made a guest appearance as the daughter of the sadistic Dandy Mott’s maid after she “goes missing”. She’s only in a few scenes before getting a short and swift exit herself thanks to a dodgy cop and a bullet to the head.

Since then, Gabourey has only made fleeting appearances, and only ever as Queenie. In season five’s Hotel she’s killed off, and in Apocalypse she returns after her fellow witches resurrect her.

She’s been absent for the past two seasons, but said in 2020 she would be up for a return should she be offered the opportunity. However, she’s now paying her attentions behind the camera.

“Yeah, I would absolutely direct an episode of American Horror Story,” she told Collider at the time. “There’s so much room to play, there’s so much room to learn. I’m still a very young director and so I’m still learning and I think the lessons that I would get from American Horror Story are just so valuable. Yeah, I would absolutely direct, and also I would be on the show again as a performer.”

Zachary Quinto

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Zachary Quinto was prominent in the first two seasons of AHS, playing a disgruntled ghost whose husband had been cheating on him in Murder House, and the original Bloody Face serial killer in Asylum in 2012.

However he hasn’t returned since, not even in Apocalypse when the show returned to the titular Murder House, and in 2015 stated he had no particular desire to either.

“No, I don’t think so,” he told YahooTV. “I haven’t had any conversations with anybody about it, but I feel I had a likewise great experience there, and I’m interested in getting away from the genre stuff.”

In recent years, he has appeared in NOS4A2, the film adaptation of stage drama The Boys In The Band, and lent his voice to Netflix smash hit shows Big Mouth and Invincible. He’s also attached to a third Star Trek movie as Spock.

Wes Bentley

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Starting off in a smaller role as the mysterious Edward Drake in Freak Show, Wes Bentley became the leading man in Hotel as an investigator digging into the weird and murderous goings on at the Hotel Cortez.

In season six, Roanoke, he played Dylan, one of the actors reconstructing what was going on at the creepy haunted house and its sinister background.

But since then, nothing, and five seasons have passed without a peep from him about why he hasn’t returned or if he ever plans to.

Taissa Farmiga

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Taissa Farmiga’s stubborn antisocial teen Violet was one of the first characters that lured us into American Horror Story back in 2011’s Murder House.

But unlike other original cast members, Taissa ducked in and out of roles on the show.

She would later return for season three’s Coven, season six, Roanoke, before reprising her previous roles in the timeline crossing season eight, Apocalypse. However, she’s been absent for the past two seasons completely, and is now starring in the US period drama The Gilded Age.

However, she seems willing to potentially return if the right stars align.

“It’s like a timing thing. I know there were talks previously, but then I was filming on [The Gilded Age], and Covid, and the travelling and all these protocols,” she told Digital Spy back in January 2022.

“So, yeah, I can never say no if it’s the right time and the right opportunity. And it’s like, sure, the idea of a cameo is fun, because we get to go in and meet up, and be like, Hey, it’s me.'”

American Horror Story airs on FX in the US and in the UK.