American Horror Story has landed its share of A-list guest actors over the years — Lady Gaga and Stevie Nicks, for example — but few have made as many headlines as the upcoming 12th season’s star: Kim Kardashian.
AHS cocreator Ryan Murphy announced the news in April, sending fans into a tailspin. Some were pleased by the addition of Kardashian to the long-running franchise, while others — including past AHS cast members — were upset by the casting choice.
Patti LuPone, who appeared in Coven and NYC, questioned Kardashian’s decision to take on an acting role while having so little acting experience. “Excuse me, excuse me, Kim. What are you doing with your life?” LuPone asked during an April appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, adding that she was unhappy about Kardashian taking roles from more established actors.
Kardashian, for her part, said in May that she’s been taking acting lessons. “It’s a challenge,” she told Variety. “I like to challenge myself.”
While Kardashian has less experience than her costars, AHS is actually not her first time playing someone other than herself. She starred in 2008’s Disaster Movie and has also appeared in Drop Dead Diva and CSI: NY.
“This project has been months and months in the works, and Kim was ecstatic to finally start filming last month,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in June about Delicate. “This is an experience of a lifetime, and Kim can’t wait for everyone to see the final product.”
Keep scrolling for everything to know about American Horror Story: Delicate.
What Is ‘Delicate’ About?
The 12th season of AHS is based on Danielle Valentine’s novel Delicate Condition, which hit shelves on August 1. The book — light spoilers ahead — follows an actress named Anna Alcott who comes to believe that someone is going to great lengths to stop her from fulfilling her dream of getting pregnant. She eventually does get pregnant but then suffers a miscarriage. Anna, however, doesn’t think she really lost the baby. Is she hallucinating, or is something else going on?
Who’s in ‘Delicate’?
In addition to Kardashian, Delicate stars Emma Roberts as main character Anna Alcott. The cast also includes Zachary Quinto, Matt Czuchry, Cara Delevingne, Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Debra Monk. Michaela Jáe Rodriguez, a veteran of Murphy’s show Pose, will make her AHS debut.
Why Is ‘Delicate’ Controversial?
LuPone wasn’t the only actor to raise objections about Kardashian’s participation in the series. After LuPone spoke out, Sharon Stone shared her thoughts in the comments section of an Instagram post about Kardashian’s casting. “It may not be brain surgery but we do treasure our art. We studied, we suffered, we do suffer for it. Ten thousand hours; it’s a thing,” Stone wrote in April, referencing the idea that 10,000 hours of practice leads to success in a chosen field, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, Outliers.
Two months later, critics questioned why AHS was still filming after the Writers Guild of America went on strike. Murphy, for his part, denied a series of viral tweets claiming that AHS crew members were told they would be “blackballed” if they didn’t cross the picket line.
When Does ‘Delicate’ Premiere?
Part one of American Horror Story: Delicate premieres on FX Wednesday, September 20, at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes will be available to stream via Hulu the next day.
What Happens in the ‘Delicate’ Teaser?
An August 21 teaser titled “Nesting” revealed very little about the season except that there will be spiders. The clip features Roberts, Delevingne, and Kardashian alongside a group of women in eerie blonde wigs. At one point, Kardashian’s character appears to be pregnant, but then she turns to the side and reveals her belly is actually a giant spider. In another scene, Roberts is on the run from people crawling on the walls behind her.
A full trailer, released on September 6, finally gave fans a glimpse of Kardashian’s acting abilities. Her character is a friend of Roberts’ Anna, who is struggling to balance her career with her desire to expand her family. “Do you want an Oscar?” Kardashian asks Roberts at one point. “Do you want it as much as a baby?”
When Does Part 2 of ‘Delicate’ Premiere?
The second half of Delicate premieres on Wednesday, April 3, and will air weekly on FX.
