Bates is back! Kathy Bates is officially returning to American Horror Story for the show’s fifth season, AHS: Hotel, FX confirmed on Wednesday, April 8.
UPDATE 5/25/15: Max Greenfield is also checking into the hotel this upcoming season. Creator Ryan Murphy confirmed the news on Monday, with the New Girl actor seconding the announcement. “Thank you @MrRPMurphy …..It’s ON!” Greenfield wrote. “#AHSHotel.”
This October, Max Greenfield (like you’ve never seen him) is checking in to the hotel….but not checking out. #AHSHotel
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) May 25, 2015
UPDATE 4/13/15: Sarah Paulson is officially returning, too — the actress, who is interestingly the only person whose character has made it out alive in every season of the show, will play “baddest bad girl of them all,” Murphy tweeted.
UPDATE 4/24/15: Evan Peters is back! “This season, Evan Peters will be waiting for you in Room 64,” Murphy tweeted. “#AHSHOTEL.”
UPDATE 4/30/15: And Angela Bassett is returning as well! “In October, Angela Bassett will be making lots of trouble with Lady Gaga in the ballroom and elsewhere,” Murphy tweeted. The AHS vet starred as the three-breasted Desiree Dupree in AHS: Freak Show and as voodo queen Marie Laveau in AHS: Coven.
Hotel will mark Bates’ third appearance in the franchise — she debuted in AHS: Coven as the evil, immortal Madame Delphine LaLaurie (and won an Emmy for the role!) and returned for season four’s AHS: Freak Show as bearded woman Ethel Darling.
Confirmed to costar alongside Bates in Hotel are Lady Gaga, in her first regular TV role, Cheyenne Jackson, and AHS vets Wes Bentley, Matt Bomer and Chloe Sevigny.
Bates told Us Weekly last month that she was hoping to return to the franchise. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” she dished at a March 17 panel honoring the women of American Horror Story. “I sure would love to work with Lady Gaga and I’m gonna miss Jessica [Lange] so. I’d like to move on and be a part of the new crew. I hope they announce it soon.”
As for who Bates will play, FX did not reveal details about her role but creator Ryan Murphy tweeted that the actress would be “running the hotel.”
Kathy Bates is running the Hotel. #AHSSeason5
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) April 8, 2015
AHS: Hotel will begin production in late summer in Los Angeles — the previous two seasons have shot in New Orleans — and will debut on FX in October.