One of the most frequent featured actors in American Horror Story, Lily Rabe has been a recurring cast member off and on since season 1 in 2011, showcasing her wide range through six different characters so far.
Rabe is the daughter of a playwright and an actress, so she grew up surrounded by the arts. She is an actress of both the stage and screen who got her start in 2001 in a movie with her mother, Jill Clayburgh, in Never Again. Rabe spent the early 2000s primarily in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, then got nominated for a Tony Award for her role opposite Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice. Rabe joined the cast of American Horror Story in season 1, just after her Tony nomination. Rabe received a major award nomination for her work on American Horror Story as well; she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress In A Movie/Miniseries for her role in season 2, Asylum.
Though she hasn't been featured in every season, Rabe's appearance always makes an impact no matter which character she's playing. Rabe has shown range through her portrayal of protagonists and antagonists alike—sometimes even both in one season—and has been confirmed as a cast member for the upcoming season 10 of American Horror Story, which was originally set to air in 2020, but has since been delayed to 2021 due to COVID-19. Here's every character Lily Rabe has played on American Horror Story so far.
American Horror Story: Murder House - Nora Montgomery
Nora Montgomery was the wife of Charles Montgomery, the "doctor to the stars" of Old Hollywood who built season 1's Murder House. As the house became a space where all those who perish on the property must stay forever, she is one of the permanent fixtures of the home and can be seen sporting the gruesome aftermath of her fatally self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. She's a spoiled, selfish socialite who was born into a wealthy family and despite having children, never gained much of a maternal instinct—this is mentioned throughout season 1 and proven by her distaste for the rougher parts of childrearing, such as them crying and refusing to settle.
Regardless, Nora seems to be drawn to children, and clearly longs for one of her own to raise, hence her interest in Vivien's unborn child; her own son, Thaddeus, was murdered and resurrected by Charles and remains in the house as a well, a monstrous beast known as "the Infantata".
American Horror Story: Asylum & Freak Show - Sister Mary Eunice
Sister Mary Eunice was first introduced in season 2, Asylum. Chronologically, she would have first appeared in Murphy's interconnected American Horror Story universe when she went to Elsa Mars' Cabinet of Curiosities during her brief appearance in season 4, Freak Show. Mary Eunice is an innocent, sweet girl who truly sees the best in people and believes in the healing power of religion; she is a stark contrast to the more totalitarian rule of Sister Jude (Jessica Lange), who believes in corporal punishment and harsher disciplines when patients at Briarcliff step out of line.
Sister Mary Eunice is eventually possessed by the Devil, and takes on a more base, sexual, and wicked role, tempting different colleagues and working behind the scenes to aid in the further corruption of Briarcliff. Tragically, during a conversation with the Monsignor Timothy Howard (Joseph Fiennes), she maintains a brief moment of agency over her body and tells him that she can't fight any longer; mercifully, he throws her over the banister and she falls to her death.
American Horror Story: Coven & Apocalypse - Misty Day
Misty Day was a bright spot in season 3, Coven, and easily became a fan-favorite, not just of the different characters portrayed by Rabe, but for the show in general. Misty was a gentle soul, connected to the earth and nature, with a deep appreciation for the music of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, who was a personal life and style icon for the young witch. She also had the gift of resurgence, or the ability to bring things back to life from the dead—she even was strong enough to bring herself back after being accused of witchcraft by members of her community. Despite it being modern times, Misty was burned at the stake.
After that, she built a little home for herself in the Louisiana swamp. Misty ended up in Hell during the test of the Seven Wonders, Descensum. She is later brought back from Hell by Michael Langdon, the Antichrist, and joins her remaining coven members after several long years apart.
American Horror Story: Hotel - Aileen Wuornos
Though only a small role in season 5, Hotel, Rabe tackled the role of real-life serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, who was a guest of James March for his "Devil's Night" celebration. Wuornos was amongst other notable killers, including the Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the Zodiac killer. Her brash persona and unkempt appearance made Rabe almost unrecognizable in the role, similar to how Charlize Theron was given accolades for her portrayal of the same figure in Monster. In real life, Wuornos was a sex worker who was put to death in the state of Florida in 2002 via lethal injection for killing seven men.
American Horror Story: Roanoke - Shelby Miller
Shelby Miller and her husband, Matt, were at the center of the story that was used for the television show, My Roanoke Nightmare, that served as the central focus of season 6, Roanoke. After Shelby suffered a miscarriage, she and her husband purchased an old farmhouse in North Carolina so they could be closer to Matt's family. Not long after moving in, strange events started happening to the couple that were later attributed to restless and violent spirits—those of the missing Roanoke colonists—who hunt and kill during the dying grass moon. After killing her husband in a jealous rage for having sex with the ancient witch Scathach (Lady Gaga), Shelby commits suicide.
American Horror Story: 1984 - Lavinia Richter
A stand-in for the character of Pamela Voorhees, devoted mother to Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th franchise and its original killer, Lavinia Richter is a single mother who worked at Camp Redwood as a cook. Her two sons, Bobby and Benjamin—who later becomes Mr. Jingles—were the focus of her life, especially Bobby. After he died during a freak boating accident, Lavinia blamed Benjamin for his brother's death, and turned violent. She slaughtered several counselors before being killed by her own son after she turned her rage on him. Fueled by anguish and loss, Lavinia becomes known as the "Lady in White", who harasses and attacks the other spirits at the camp and is in a perpetual state of mourning. Eventually, Lavinia finds some peace after saving Benjamin's son—named after Bobby—from Margaret Booth. She is permanently tethered to Camp Redwood, but has the company of both of her sons after Benjamin also died on the premises—after many years, their family is reunited.
Since American Horror Story season 10 has been delayed, Rabe's upcoming character has yet to be announced, though she is always a welcome addition to any season in both major and minor roles.