Angela Bassett Brings Marie Laveau Back to the ‘American Horror Story’ Premiere Red Carpet

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Few TV franchises have endured as long as ‘American Horror Story’ by reinventing themselves each year. Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the anthology series debuted 15 years ago with its Murder House season and has since explored asylums, covens, freak shows, and hotels. This year, however, the series is looking back in a significant way.

The 13th season, simply titled ’13,’ is being marketed as a greatest-hits edition. It features a host of returning veterans, including Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, and Kathy Bates. Lange’s return is particularly surprising, as she had previously stated she would not come back.

The cast showed up in full force on Wednesday, September 23, for FX’s premiere celebration at Hotel Chelsea in New York City. Angela Bassett was among the stars who walked the red carpet, and Film Updates shared photos of her at the event. In the images, she dazzles in a black gown with a dramatic sculptural bodice and carries a skull-embellished clutch.

Bassett’s return holds significant meaning for longtime fans. She reprises her role as Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen she first portrayed in 2013’s ‘Coven,’ a character closely associated with her legacy on ‘American Horror Story.’ She also appeared in 2014’s ‘Freak Show.’

Her last appearance on the series was in the eighth season in 2018, alongside Bates and Gabourey Sidibe. Now, all three are back for the new installment. The trailer, released on September 10, shows Bassett as Marie Laveau alongside Lange as Constance Langdon, Paulson as Cordelia Goode, and Peters as Kai Anderson.

The New York event was a star-studded affair. Lange, Paulson, Peters, and Bassett joined Murphy at the party, with fellow cast members Paul Anthony Kelly, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and Jamie Brewer also in attendance. Other notable attendees included Leslie Grossman, Mena Suvari, and Joey Pollari.

The cast list is filled with characters from across the show’s history. Emma Roberts returns as Madison Montgomery, John Carroll Lynch is back as Twisty the Clown, and Suvari portrays the Black Dahlia. The series also introduces new faces, including Kelly, Pollari, Alex Consani, and filmmaker John Waters.

Murphy has emphasized that ’13’ is not merely a ‘Coven’ reboot. He clarified that while some may assume it is a ‘Coven’ season, it draws inspiration from all of the show’s seasons, comparing it to ‘The Avengers,’ with characters uniting to combat the ultimate evil. This suggests a more expansive and playful tone than typical seasons.

This season also introduces a new format. It is the first ‘American Horror Story’ season to feature half-hour episodes instead of hour-long ones, running for a series-high 13 episodes. The new showrunners are Ned Martel and Charlie Carver, both of whom have previously worked as producers and writers on the show.

Screenshot 2026 09 10 at 16 19 08 American Horror Story Rotten Tomatoes

‘American Horror Story: 13’ premieres on Thursday, September 24, at 9 p.m. ET on FX, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu. The first three episodes will be released on premiere night, followed by three more the following week. After that, two episodes will be released each Thursday, culminating in the 13th and final episode on October 29.

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