After revealing that Michael Chiklis would star in American Horror Story: Freak Show at PaleyFest last year, the FX anthology used its annual appearance at the festival to announce the male leads in season five's Hotel.
Frequent Ryan Murphy collaborators Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson have joined the cast of American Horror Story: Hotel, it was revealed Sunday at the closing night of PaleyFest 2015. Star Jessica Lange, who has toplined each of the first four seasons, also definitively confirmed that she will not return for season five. "It was my absolute favorite," she said after crediting her cast and the show's creators. "We had a great run."
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Season five of the series, from showrunners Murphy and Brad Falchuk, will star Lady Gaga and take place at a presumably haunted hotel.
While plot details were scarce as has become expected with all things AHS, Bomer will be the male lead, while Jackson will join the ensemble of the horror anthology. The casting marks both actors' latest collaborations with Murphy. Bomer, whose USA Network series White Collar ended its run in December, earned an Emmy nomination for his supporting turn in Murphy's HBO TV movie The Normal Heart. Bomer also had an arc on Murphy's Glee, playing Darren Criss' older brother. Jackson, meanwhile, co-starred in Murphy's HBO pilot Open and also had an arc on Fox's Glee as a rival coach.
"I can't confirm or deny that there may be a romantic relationship," Bomer said of his on-screen relationship with Lady Gaga, noting that he was "down" for any insanity the writers could imagine.
For Bomer, the Hotel gig marks the Magic Mike star's second visit to AHS, following a one-episode guest role on last season's Freak Show. Jackson, for his part, will make his AHS debut.
Jackson, who called AHS his favorite show on TV, said he knew nothing about his character and said he was nervous but "ready to jump in."
For AHS, Bomer and Jackson become the second and third confirmed cast members for Hotel, joining Lady Gaga, though Coven and Freak Show alum Kathy Bates is also expected to return to the anthology. For his part, co-star and fan favorite Evan Peters noted he wasn't sure if he'd be returning to the franchise but seemed open to coming back for another run.
Bomer is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Hansen Jacobson. Jackson is with ICM Partners and MGMT Entertainment.
Stay tuned to The Live Feed for more AHS: Hotel scoop. AHS: Hotel debuts in late October; a specific date has yet to be announced. Production will begin in the late summer in Los Angeles, FX said.
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