American Horror Story Season 11 Cast & Character Guide

Ryan Murphy brought back a few familiar faces to a new location for the American Horror Story season 11 cast and characters. American Horror Story Season 11: NYC, is set in New York City, apparently in the 1970s and ’80s, focusing on the LGBTQ+ community as a threatening serial killer looms. It’s unclear whether American Horror Story season 11 will connect to previous installments of the franchise, but the New York City setting and time jumps suggest there will be room for overlap if the franchise chooses that route.

There are some notable names missing from the impressive cast of American Horror Story season 11, subtitled New York City, including franchise staples Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, and Frances Conroy. However, in addition to some new AHS actors and frequent Ryan Murphy collaborators, American Horror Story: NYC’s cast boasts returning actors like Billie Lourd, Denis O’Hare, Leslie Grossman, Patti LuPone, and Zachary Quinto, the latter of whom hadn’t appeared in the series since season 2. Here’s a guide to the new and returning actors as well as their eerie characters in American Horror Story season 11.

Denis O’Hare As Henry

Frequent American Horror Story star Denis O’Hare returns for the American Horror Story season 11 cast as a character named Henry Grant, a regular at the Brownstone Bar and mafia hitman. O’Hare recently starred in the season 2 “Dollhouse” episode of the AHS spinoff series American Horror Stories, in which he portrayed the father of his own AHS: Coven character Spalding. O’Hare’s other American Horror Story roles include Larry Harvey in Murder House, Stanley in Freak Show, Liz Taylor in Hotel, Dr. Elias Cunningham/William Van Henderson in Roanoke, and Holden Vaughn in Red Tide. O’Hare is also known for appearing in Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, and True Blood.

Leslie Grossman As Barbara Read

Another member of the unofficial Ryan Murphy acting troupe, Leslie Grossman returns in the American Horror Story season 11 cast to play the character Barbara Read, who is unfortunately in the midst of a messy divorce. Grossman’s past American Horror Story characters include Meadow in Cult, Coco in Apocalypse, Margaret in 1984, and Ursula/Calico in Double Feature. The actress’s other notable projects are Love, Victor, 10 Things I Hate About You (series), What I Like About You, and Popular.

Billie Lourd As Hannah

After a small part in American Horror Story: Red Tide, Billie Lourd returns to American Horror Story season 11 cast as Dr. Hannah Wells, the discoverer of the new virus that she believes was crafted by the gorvernment. Lourd has become a fan-favorite actor in American Horror Story, having previously played characters such as Winter in Cult, Mallory in Apocalypse, and Montana in 1984. As the daughter of the late Carrie Fisher, it’s fitting that Lourd’s most prominent film roles are in the Star Wars sequel movies, where she played Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix. Lourd’s other notable acting credits include Booksmart and Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens.

Zachary Quinto As Sam

Actor Zachary Quinto returns to the American Horror Story season 11 cast for the first time since season 2’s AHS: Asylum (2012),where he played Dr. Oliver Thredson/Bloody Face. Quinto stars here as Sam, an avid partier heavily connected to the string of killings affecting gay men in NYC. Outside of American Horror Story, Quinto is best known for playing Spock in the Star Trek reboot films and Sylar in Heroes. The American Horror Story season 11 actor can also be seen in NOS4A2, Snowden, The Boys in the Band, and 24.

Russell Tovey As Patrick

New American Horror Story actor Russell Tovey stars in the American Horror Story season 11 cast as the detective Patrick Read, a closeted gay man who hopes to get to the bottom of the multiple murders in the gay community. He also has a trouble past with abuse while growing up. Tovey is best recognized for playing George Sands in Being Human, Rudge in The History Boys, and Kevin in Looking.

Charlie Carver As Adam

In addition to serving as a producer and writer on AHS: NYC, Charlie Carver portrays Adam Carpenter in the American Horror Story season 11 cast, a gay man who has an ever-growing hatred for the NYC police. The New York-set American Horror Story season 11 is Carver’s debut in the franchise, but he has already worked with Ryan Murphy on Netflix’s The Boys in the Band and Ratched. Carver is also notable for his appearances alongside his twin brother in The Batman, Teen Wolf, and Desperate Housewives.

Joe Mantello As Gino

Joe Mantello stars in the American Horror Story season 11 cast as Gino Barelli, a reporter for New York Native and Patrick Read’s partner. AHS: NYC is Mantello’s debut in the franchise, but he has worked with Ryan Murphy on several occasions. Although best known for his stage career, Mantello directed the Murphy-produced movie The Boys in the Band and starred in Murphy’s TV projects like Hollywood and The Watcher.

American Horror Story Season 11 Supporting Cast & Characters

The American Horror Story season 11 cast wouldn’t be complete without its supporting characters. Like all Ryan Murphy shows, the ensemble often plays a huge role in the overall plot, and these characters turned out to be no different for AHS season 11. The latest installment wouldn’t be complete without Matthew William Bishop’s Big Daddy, a manifestation of the virus claiming the city, or Jeff Hiller’s Whitley, the unsavory Vietnam vet who uses NYC as his personal hunting ground. Here is the American Horror Story season 11 cast of supporting characters.

Sandra Bernhard as Fran

Sanda Bernhard plays Fran in the American Horror Story season 11 cast, a newly hired lesbian reporter for The Downtown Native and lab assistant with crucial information about the virus. Before AHS season 11, Bernhard briefly appeared in American Horror Story season 8 as Satanist cult leader Hannah. Bernhard is best known for her stand-up comedy career, cameos as herself in various TV shows and movies, and her roles in Roseanne, The King of Comedy, and Pose.

Isaac Powell as Theo Graves

In the American Horror Story season 11 cast, Isaac Powell plays Theo Graves, a photographer that’s also a psychic. Powell made his AHS debut in season 10’s Death Valley as Troy, a college student who was abducted by aliens. The actor has also been seen in Dear Evan Hansen, Indoor Boys, and Modern Love.

Patti LuPone as Kathy Pizazz

Next up on the American Horror Story season 11 cast list is Patti Lupone’s Kathy Pizazz, a caberet performer. Broadway legend Patti LuPone returns to AHS for the first time since season 3’s Coven, where she played Joan Ramsey. LuPone has also starred in movies and series like Ryan Murphy’s TV show Hollywood, Last Christmas, Witness, Oz, Pose, and 30 Rock. However, she’s best known for originating the roles of Eva Perón in the Broadway show Evita and Fantine in London’s Les Misérables cast.

Sis as Dunaway

Sis joins the American Horror Story season 11 cast as Dunaway, the humorous manager at the Ascension Bar. Sis previously had a small role in a 2018 episode of The Last O.G. As part of the musical theater community, Sis starred in the North American revival of Oklahoma! and is a notable advocate for Black trans inclusion on Broadway.

Kal Penn as Mac Marzara

Kal Penn joins the American Horror Story season 11 cast as Captain Mac Marzara, head of the 6th Precinct who is deeply prejudiced against the gay community. Penn is best known for starring in the Harold & Kumar film series, House, How I Met Your Mother, Designated Survivor, and 2022’s Smile.

Kyle Beltran as Morris

Kyle Beltran plays Morris, a gay man and frequent underground clubgoer who is friends with Charlie Carver’s Adam. Better known for his stage career, American Horror Story season 11 cast member Kyle Beltran has also appeared in American Rust, Inventing Anna, David Makes Man, and Equity.

Rebecca Dayan as Alana

The last entry on the American Horror Story season 11 cast list is Rebecca Dayan as Alana, manager of the club The Ditch, a mafia-run establishment. Having now starred in both American Horror Story and its spinoff American Horror Stories, Rebecca Dayan is becoming a familiar face in the AHS franchise. She previously played Maria Wycoff in AHS: Death Valley, Elsa Peretti in Ryan Murphy’s Halston, Sarah Bernhardt in Tesla, and Sister Emanuel in Novitiate.