While American Horror Story reinvents itself every season, one thing stays the same - Evan Peters always has a role, until now. The actor has appeared in Ryan Murphy's horror anthology since the series began in 2011. The ninth season, American Horror Story: 1984, debuts in September, although it will mark the first installment without Peters.
Peters has been a prominent cast member in AHS since the show was first introduced. The young actor has served as a primary character in the majority of the seasons. In many cases, Peters has portrayed more than one character and he has a history of reprising previous roles for interconnected seasons. Peters had an admirable acting career prior to American Horror Story but after teaming up with Murphy, the actor truly made a name for himself. Besides AHS, Peters has also starred in Murphy's fellow FX series, Pose.
American Horror Story viewers were surprised to hear Peters would be absent from season 9 considering he's been a mainstay for the series. Peters has stated he's taking a break from acting and he planned to sit the season out. It's very likely Peters will return for the confirmed tenth season and possible future installments. As we await his AHS return, let's take a look back at Peter's history in the horror series.
Tate Langdon In American Horror Story: Murder House
When Peters made his American Horror Story debut, he portrayed the troublesome teenager, Tate Langdon. He was originally thought to be a distraught patient of Ben Harmon and the love interest of Violet Harmon. In reality, he was a ghost who was trapped inside the Murder House. It was later revealed Tate carried out a school shooting years prior, something his mother, Constance, tried to keep hidden from the Harmons. Violet rejected Tate after learning the truth. Over the course of the season, Tate killed multiple people as the Rubber Man and raped Vivien Harmon, Ben's wife and Violet's mother. The birth led to Vivien's death and the child went on to become the Antichrist.
Kit Walker In American Horror Story: Asylum
Peters returned for AHS season 2 to play Kit Walker, the man sent to Briarcliff after he was wrongfully accused of being Bloody Face. His wife Alma was reportedly one of his victims but she was actually abducted by aliens. During his time at the asylum, he became a subject of experimentation by the hands of Dr. Arden. Kit became romantically involved with fellow patient Grace, and they ended up having a child together. He also helped Lana Winters expose the true Bloody Face killer, Dr. Thredson. The truth exonerated Kit and he was able to live his life with Grace and their child until he found out his first wife was still alive and recently had his child. The trio tried to live in a polyamorous relationship but that arrangement turned deadly. Kit raised his two kids but he was later re-abducted by aliens after he developed a form of cancer.
Kyle Spencer In American Horror Story: Coven
In American Horror Story: Coven, Peters played a smaller part in the role of Kyle Spencer. Kyle was a college student and the leader of a fraternity. He had big dreams for his future and he was relieved to finally get out of his poverty-stricken neighborhood and abusive home. Kyle was killed when Madison caused a bus crash involving the fraternity members. Madison and Zoe put his body back together using a spell but he lost the ability to speak. Kyle also suffered from murderous rages so he was appointed the guard of the coven at Miss Robichaux's Academy. He was romantically involved with both Madison and Zoe but he eventually chose the latter. Kyle ended up becoming the butler for the Academy when the season ended.
Jimmy Darling In American Horror Story: Freak Show
Peters portrayed Jimmy Darling in AHS season 4. Jimmy was the son of Ethel and Dell, two performers in Elsa's Freak Show. He was born with hands that resembled lobster claws so he was known as "Lobster Boy." He dreamed of the day he could leave the freak show and live a normal life. Jimmy became romantically involved with Maggie after the duo worked together to free the victims of Twisty the Clown. After Ethel was killed, Jimmy fell into a dark depression. To make matters worse, he was accused of carrying out a mass murder Dandy committed and his hands were severed. Jimmy later received wooden prosthetics resembling his claw hands. He eventually teamed up with Desiree, Bette, and Dot to get revenge of Dandy for killing their friends. Jimmy ended up marrying both Bette and Dot.
James Patrick March In American Horror Story: Hotel
In American Horror Story: Hotel, Peters played James Patrick March, the wealthy businessman turned serial killer. He constructed the Hotel Cortez in the 1920s and designed it to carry out his killings. After one of his murders, he decided to commit the killings based on the Ten Commandments. Mr. March was also romantically involved with the Countess but she never returned the feelings. The Countess turned Mr. March into the authorities so he had no choice but to kill himself in his office. His spirit remained in the hotel and he made a deal with the Countess so he could carry out his murders. He made Detective John Lowe his successor as the Ten Commandments Killer. Every year on Devil's Night, Mr. March hosted a special dinner for dead serial killers.
Edward Philipe Mott and Rory Monahan In American Horror Story: Roanoke
Peters pulled double duty in Roanoke playing two separate characters. First, it was Edward Philipe Mott, the wealthy aristocrat, and ancestor of Freak Show's Dandy Mott. He was the original owner of the Roanoke house Matt and Shelby later moved into. The real Edward ended up being locked in the cellar and killed by Roanoke colonists. Peters played the character through the reenactment special featured on AHS, titled My Roanoke Nightmare. This version of Edward was played by Rory Monahan, Peters' second role in the season. Rory agreed to return with the cast and their real-life counterparts to the follow-up show, Return to Roanoke. He never believed the supernatural accounts but he ended up being killed by deadly spirits during production.
Kai Anderson In American Horror Story: Cult
Peters was an absolute gamechanger for American Horror Story: Cult, playing a total of seven characters. His primary character was Kai Anderson, a deranged young man who led a cult after the 2016 Presidential Election. Kai used fear to win people over and manipulated the media into supporting his efforts. He ran for city council after getting sympathetic support from the community. During that time, he was targeting Ally, one of his brother's patients but she ended up outwitting the cult leader. Ally was always one step ahead and had the FBI raid Kai's cult headquarters. She later set up an interaction between the two which got Kai killed.
Related: American Horror Story: Every Evan Peters Character, Ranked
Throughout the season, Peters also portrayed a number of cult leaders and other important figures in a series of flashbacks and visions. He tried to teach his followers the success of former cults so he recounted well-known historical leaders in his mind. Peters played Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Charles Mansion. The actor also portrayed Jesus and Andy Warhol in the season.
Mr. Gallant and Jeff Pfister In American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Peters introduced two new characters to American Horror Story: Apocalypse. First, he played Mr. Gallant, an eccentric hairdresser that resided in Outpost 3 during the apocalypse. He arrived there with his grandmother, Evie, who he despised. Mr. Gallant had a few foul run-ins with Michael Langdon (aka the Antichrist) and Rubber Man before he was poisoned and killed. Peters also played Jeff Pfister, a scientist that built Michael's robotic caretaker. Jeff also helped chose the occupants that were sent to Outpost 3 prior to the apocalyptic events.
Besides Mr. Gallant and Jeff, Peters brought back two former American Horror Story characters from previous seasons. Peters reprised his role as Mr. March for a sequence involving Queenie. The witch was previously killed at Hotel Cortez so her spirit remained there. Queenie spent her time playing cards with Mr. March until Cordelia, the current Supreme. arrived to rescue her but she was unsuccessful. Michael later showed up and brought her out of the spirit world much to Mr. March's disappointment. Peters also reappeared as Tate when Madison and Behold traveled to the Murder House to get information about Michael. They learned about Michael's origin and that Tate rejected the notion of being the boy's father. The entire Harmon family were stuck in the Murder House as ghosts but Violet still ignored Tate's presence. After he saved Vivien, Violet had a change of heart and reconciled with Tate.