Jessica Lange Agreed To Return For American Horror Story Season 13 Under One Condition

Longtime fans of "American Horror Story" who have missed getting their weekly Jessica Lange fix are in for a real treat in Season 13. Not only is Lange revisiting all four of her previous characters — Constance Langdon from Season 1 ("Murder House"), Sister Jude from Season 2 ("Asylum"), Fiona Goode from Season 3 ("Coven"), and Elsa Mars from Season 4 ("Freak Show") — but she's also returning to the microphone for at least one musical performance.

In fact, getting the chance to sing again was Lange's one stipulation when she met with "Horror Story" co-creator Ryan Murphy to explore the possibility of her returning for Season 13.

"I just thought the number 13 was infused with so much stuff in the horror genre, and I wanted to do a greatest hits season," Murphy tells Vogue. "I didn't know what it was, but I knew that I could only do it with Jessica. So we had dinner ... and I pitched her, and she said, 'Great. I'm in as long as I have a musical number.'"

This shouldn't come as a huge surprise to fans of the horror anthology series, as Lange's characters have already delivered the show's most memorable musical moments. The first came via a twisted performance of Shirley Ellis' "The Name Game" in an episode of "Asylum," followed by several songs (most famously David Bowie's "Life on Mars") throughout the course of "Freak Show."

One of the reasons "American Horror Story" fans are excited to have Jessica Lange back for Season 13 is because, frankly, it was beginning to seem like she was done with the franchise for good. During a 2015 appearance at PaleyFest, following her turn as Elsa Mars in "Freak Show," Lange delivered a gut punch to the collective "American Horror Story" fandom when asked about her future with the show.

"We've had a great run," she said at the time. "I have absolutely loved doing these four characters, and in all the madness, I loved the writers, actors, Ryan [Murphy], the whole insanity of it .. to cut to the chase, yes, I'm done."

Lange eventually changed her tune, agreeing to appear in two episodes of Season 8 ("Apocalypse"), but the idea of Lange returning to the show as a series regular remained a pipe dream. Even as recently as last year, Lange was publicly opposed to revisiting the FX drama. Just watch her reaction when asked about coming back for Season 13 in February 2025:

Jessica Lange when asked if she'd return to 'American Horror Story':

"Christ No". pic.twitter.com/rWGHqtxBbh

— American Horror Source (@AHS_Source) February 27, 2025

But when Ryan Murphy took Lange out to dinner to formally discuss Season 13, he heard her talk about the show "in a very nostalgic, sentimental way" for the first time. 

"She was telling me about how everywhere she goes, young people just bombard her and ask for autographs because they love that show so much," Murphy tells Vogue. "She said some funny thing about how, 'Nobody comes up and wants to talk to [her] about 'Blue Sky' or 'Tootsie.' They just want to talk about 'American Horror Story.'"

During her four-season run on "American Horror Story," Lange took home two Primetime Emmy Awards — first in 2012 for her work on "Murder House," and again in 2014 for her role on "Coven." She received three additional nominations for her performance on the show.

"American Horror Story: 13" premieres Thursday, September 24 at 9/8c on FX. Are you excited to have Lange back, and singing no less? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.