Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's epic anthology horror series American Horror Story (or AHS for short) has been on the air since 2011. Nine seasons later, with a tenth on the way, AHS maintains a large following. Known for its grisly, hypersexual storytelling style, each season delves into different tales of terror tied to America's dark history. From witches to cults to circus sideshows, AHS digs into every taboo without holding back.
While names like Sara Paulson, Jessica Lange, and Evan Peters are forever associated with AHS, so many other talented actors have appeared on the show over the years. The list is massive, and it's hard to keep up with the many recognizable faces who have brought their skills to AHS.
Mena Suvari
Mena Suvari, while known for her role in the American Pie movies, is no stranger to horror. Her genre creds include Stuck and Day of the Dead.
Suvari also acts in the very first season of AHS, Murder House, playing Elizabeth Smart, a real-life woman who earned the nickname Black Dahlia after being found brutally murdered in Los Angeles in 1947. Suvari reprised the role in the Apocalypse season's episode "Return to Murder House."
Danny Huston
The son of iconic director John Huston, Danny Huston has been acting since the mid-90s. Huston gives a memorable performance as The Axeman in the Coven season, which is set in New Orleans, and as Massimo Dolcefino in Freak Show, which is set in Florida.
The Axeman is a serial killer who was killed by the witches at Miss Robichaux's Academy, and his spirit is brought back to the present. From there, he falls in with Jessica Lange's Cordelia Goode, the current Supreme witch.
Billy Porter
Billy Porter has been strutting his stuff as emcee Pray Tell in another Ryan Murphy television series: Pose. However, the vibrant and uncanny Porter also has a recurring role in Apocalypse.
Porter plays Behold Chablis, a warlock teacher at Hawthorne School for Exceptional Young Men. Behold grows weary of Michael Langdon's (played by Cody Fern) growing power – as he should considering Langdon is the Antichrist.
Morris Chestnut
In the Murder House season, veteran actor Morris Chestnut plays a security guard hired by the Harmons in an effort to ward off all the insane events unfolding around them. While Chestnut's character Luke doesn't do much to expel the ghosts from the Harmons home, he's still a pillar of stability, especially for Vivien Harmon.
Chestnut made his feature film debut in 1991's Boyz N The Hood, and he has starred in dozens of movies and television series ever since. These days, he can be seen in Fox's medical drama The Resident.
Clea DuVall
Clea DuVall plays Wendy Peyser in Asylum, the secret girlfriend of journalist Lana Winters, played by Sara Paulson. After Lana is committed to Briarcliff against her will when she's caught snooping, Wendy is targeted by the serial killer at the center of the season: Bloody Face.
DuVall is known for acting in horror films like The Faculty and The Grudge. Her television credits include Carnivàle and The Handmaid's Tale.
Joan Collins
Joan Collins is a celebrated British actor who has been on the scene since the '50s, when she transitioned from British features to Hollywood. Collins will always be remembered for her role in the popular '80s prime time soap opera Dynasty.
Believe it or not, that is Joan Collins in Apocalypse. The actor plays two roles: Evie Gallant, the grandmother of Evan Peters's character Malcolm, and Bubbles McGee, a witch.
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle, the original voice behind the hit song "Lady Marmalade," plays Dora Ross in Freak Show, the abused maid of Francis Conroy's Gloria Mott – the mother of the psychopathic Dandy Mott (played by Finn Wittrock).
AHS is far from LaBelle's first venture into acting. She has appeared in numerous television shows, including Empire.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Since becoming famous for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, Malcolm-Jamal Warner has popped up all over the place in various films and television series. He stars in Freak Show as Angus T. Jefferson, a man initially introduced as an acquaintance of Angela Bassett's character Desiree Dupree.
Desiree Dupree is also known as the Three Breasted Woman in the season. By the end of the season, it's revealed Desiree and Angus were married and have children together.
BD Wong
Fans of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Jurassic World will recognize BD Wong. In SVU, Wong plays Dr. George Huang, a criminal psychologist and forensics expert; in Jurassic World, he plays geneticist Dr. Henry Wu.
In the AHS Apocalypse season, Wong has a recurring role as Baldwin Pennypacker, a warlock teacher who wants Michael Langdon to be the next Alpha. His character wages war against the witches who want Langdon dead.
Ian McShane
Deadwood's Ian McShane makes a noteworthy appearance in Asylum as Christmas killer Leigh Emerson, a Briarcliff inmate who stirs up all kinds of trouble. It turns out the guy who plays Al Swearengen makes a good villain in other series, too.
McShane continues to play complicated and nefarious characters. He can be seen causing both harm and benevolence in the John Wick series.