After getting a creepy new location, American Horror Story: Freak Show cast Michael Chiklis to play the father of Evan Peters' character and the ex-husband of Kathy Bates' character. Chiklis, primarily known for his role in the TV show The Shield, hasn't been in a whole lot of acting roles, usually instead lending his voice to animated ventures like Robot Chicken, Spirited Away, and Family Guy.
“I can't think of a better way than to come back to my home network than to join this magnificent cast," Chiklis said after being introduced at the PaleyFest panel for AHS. "It's insane how many incredible actors are in this cast."
Not much was revealed about the content of the show besides the location and time-period, but Chiklis did tease us saying, “It's going to be crazy, and we're going to scare you."
So far it's confirmed Chiklis will be joined in the carnival-themed show by Jessica Lange (in her final season with the series) who will play a German ex-pat who runs a freak show. Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Basset, Frances Conroy, and Kathy Bates will return to play characters in the sideshow. It's set in the 1950s and takes place in Florida, though it will be shot in New Orleans.
Chiklis knows something about playing a freak, and can draw upon his role as Ben Grimm (a.k.a The Thing) in The Fantastic Four for inspiration. After donning the rock-ladden prosthetic suit, probably any freak he's playing in AHS will seem like small potatoes. "I can’t tell you how badly I wanted out of that costume, especially after some days being inside it for 12 hours," Chiklis said of his role at the time. "It drains you in a way that’s difficult to explain to anyone unless they’ve gone through something like it."
Though the show doesn't have a set premiere yet, as news of casting decisions continue we're sure to get a date soon, and we can't wait to see the creepy take on the carnival come to life.
Image: marvel-legacy
