Sorry Fiona fanatics, Jessica Lange has confirmed that she will in fact be leaving ‘American Horror Story’ after the next season. She has served as a focal character in all three prior series, playing Constance Langdon in the first season, Sister Jude in season two and currently serving up FIERCE every week as Supreme witch Fiona Goode. The acclaimed actress had previously hinted that she was actually planning to retire from acting altogether.
Lange previously stated “No, I’ll probably do, maybe … if we do another one, I’ll do that, but then … yeah. Because I’m kind of coming to the end of acting, anyhow.”
Now it’s official. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she expressed:
“It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.”
He further went on to reveal that the show may remain set in New Orleans, but would be set in the past. But he also mused that the show may move to a Santa Fe location. (I think staying in New Orleans, as fascinating a city as it is, may be going back to the well one too many times.)
The question arises, who would take her place? Fellow mainstay Taissa Farmiga is too young and doesn’t come close to commanding a scene anywhere close to the way Lange does. Likewise, Sarah Paulson works better as an “everywoman.”
My vote: Angela Bassett! She has KILLED it this season as Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau! (And she’s not even considered a series regular!) But if anyone can follow up Lange’s fabulous turn, it’s Miss Bassett. (Not that I’d be opposed to Kathy Bates returning as well, but Bassett seems like a better fit for a focal character.)
But what do you think? Who do you think should anchor the series moving forward?
Source: Collider
