John Waters to Bring His Unique Brand of Horror to ‘American Horror Story’

Cult film icon John Waters has joined the cast of the upcoming 13th season of FX’s anthology horror series, American Horror Story. The announcement was made by Waters himself during a spoken-word performance in Baltimore on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026, as reported by Baltimore Fishbowl.

A Career Inspired by Vincent Price

While details about his role remain under wraps, Waters revealed he’s been aiming to emulate the career of horror legend Vincent Price. “I’ve always been trying to steal Vincent Price’s career,” Waters quipped, as noted by them. Price was renowned for his work in the horror genre and his portrayals of eccentric villains.

Returning Faces and New Additions

Season 13 of American Horror Story is bringing back several familiar faces from the show’s third season, Coven, which originally aired in 2013. Confirmed returning cast members include Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, and Jessica Lange (Bloody Disgusting). Joining them is Ariana Grande, known for her roles in “Wicked” and a previous guest appearance on Ryan Murphy’s “Scream Queens” (Bloody Disgusting), as well as Billie Lourd and Leslie Grossman.

Production and Air Date

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, American Horror Story premiered on FX in 2011. Each season features a self-contained story with new characters and settings. Season 13 is expected to start filming soon and is slated to premiere on FX around Halloween 2026 (Bloody Disgusting).

Waters recently completed filming on Baltigore: Maryland Horror Anthology, where he served as the host.