Under a level of secrecy usually reserved for movies by J.J. Abrams, American Horror Story Season 6 premieres this Wednesday night… and we still have no idea what the heck it's about. Fans of FX's horror anthology are used to being inundated with promos and posters loudly promoting the creepy theme of each new installment. But this year, we don't even know the subtitle of the season; nor do we have any sort of official cast list released by the network itself — although we've been able to piece together most of the season's main cast thanks to confirmation from the actors themselves. So will Lady Gaga be in American Horror Story Season 6? Or is she taking a step back to focus on her music?
Mother Monster made a splash in her debut on the Ryan Murphy series last year, playing the Countess, the immortal vampire that resided in the penthouse of Hotel's titular Hotel Cortez. The pop singer had pretty big shoes to fill, since she was stepping in as AHS' leading lady after the departure of Jessica Lange after Season 4's Freak Show. But Gaga's first starring acting role was undoubtedly a success, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Limited Series; she ended up taking home the trophy over such acclaimed competition as Fargo's Kirsten Dunst and American Crime's Felicity Huffman.
But given that Gaga is gearing up for the impending release of her fifth studio album, it would be understandable if she had decided to take a break from acting to once again focus on her music. Thankfully, Gaga's Season 6 fate is one of the few mysteries we already know the answer to. The actress herself confirmed in a radio interview with Z100 New York back in March that she would be back on the show in some way, shape, or form. "I can't promise you how, or when, or anything like that," she teased cryptically.
If that sounds like the kind of vague statement that can mean anything — a series regular role or a one-episode guest spot, a sure thing or a possibility that may not have ultimately panned out — rest assured that Gaga is indeed in AHS Season 6, and that her role will apparently be fairly significant. FX revealed as much when the network released a video last week titled "Illusion," featuring a compilation of all the myriad horrifying promos so far all underscored by the strains of Gaga's new single, "Perfect Illusion."
Although FX has been loathe to spoil any details about the upcoming iteration of AHS, they apparently had no qualms about promoting Gaga's involvement in the secretive Season 6 — no surprise, considering her high-profile, award-winning turn as the Countess is part of what helped AHS maintain its status as the highest-rated show on the network. (We also know that Gaga will be appearing in the new installment alongside AHS mainstays like Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Denis O'Hare, Kathy Bates, and Angela Bassett, as well as franchise newcomers like Finn Wittrock, Matt Bomer, Wes Bentley, and Cheyenne Jackson.)
Of course, there are still plenty of questions left to be answered about Gaga's role in the sixth season. Will she once again be the headliner? Or will she drop by for a major recurring role? Will we see her in Wednesday's premiere, or will we have to wait in suspense a few weeks for her Season 6 debut? And, most importantly, what kind of twisted character will she be playing this time around? Sadly, we'll just have to wait and see…
Image: Suzanne Tenner/FX
