It’s the news that some might think makes perfect sense: “American Horror Story” will tackle the 2016 presidential election.
During an appearance on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live!” last week, “AHS” co-creator Ryan Murphy revealed that the next season of the popular FX horror anthology series would draw inspiration from the recent election that saw Donald Trump edge out former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“The season is going to be about the election we just went through,” Murphy said. “I think that will be interesting for a lot of people.”
When host Andy Cohen asked whether there would be a character based on now-President Donald Trump in the series, Murphy replied: “Maybe.”
In January, “American Horror Story” was renewed for two more seasons. The sixth season of the anthology series, “Roanoke,” wrapped its run in November.
The seventh cycle, which begins shooting in June, does not yet have a title, Murphy said.
Murphy also discussed casting for the season of “American Crime Story,” which will delve into the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal, based on a book by Jeffrey Toobin (who wrote the source material for “People v. O.J. Simpson). Murphy said he doesn’t know whom he would cast as Hillary Clinton and that an unknown might be the way to go in casting the role of Lewinsky. But Murphy did reveal he’s discussed with his Emmy-winning muse Sarah Paulson about the possibility of her playing Lewinsky confidant Linda Tripp.
“We’ll see if she would agree to do that,” he said.
As previously announced, seasons 2 and 3 of “American Crime Story” will be focused, respectively, on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 1997 murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace. The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal would be explored in the fourth installment.
“I think our take on it is interesting. I don’t even think the Clintons need to be a huge part of that story. It’s about the birth of a specific movement in our country. That’s what we’re interested in.. We’re working on the scripts now.”
