In American Horror Story, one actor utilized over and over again as an array of characters is Evan Peters. Though the actor is in possession of considerable talent and versatility and remains a fan favorite, it is interesting to imagine the anthology series with different actors in his varied roles. Keeping that in mind, who could step into Peters' roles in a recasting of American Horror Story?
Peters was first introduced in season 1, American Horror Story: Murder House, and the little-known actor soon found a home in Ryan Murphy's rollickingly colorful and entertaining horror series. Peters has been given roles of all kinds, playing a range of characters with kindness and integrity to the darkest and nastiest of villains. Peters came into his own on the show, displaying his knack for accents, scope for acting, and natural charisma.
The show would look very different without Peters, but a wide selection of talented actors could do very well in the various roles he portrayed. Here's a look at the actors who are suited to play the fascinating characters drawn by Murphy in American Horror Story in Peters' current eight seasons on the show.
Ezra Miller as Tate Langdon
It is said of Tate Langdon that he needs to be beautiful, angelic, and terrifying. As the father of the Antichrist, Tate is a sort of Lucifer himself, a fallen angel whose seed will bring about the end of the world. At first when audiences met Tate, they saw a troubled young man in his high school years seeking counseling from a skilled professional. It does not take long for viewers to recognize that all is not as it seems with Tate.
Ezra Miller is a palpable force of nature onscreen, playing a wide collection of roles with grace and sophistication. He has a lovely, cat-like face that is both masculine and feminine in nature, giving off an almost seraphim quality. In 2011, Miller would have been 19, placing him at the perfect age for the high school shooter turned conduit of the devil. There is enough sensitivity and beauty in Miller to make him sympathetic, as the writers of Murder House attempted to do with Tate despite his heinous deeds.
Andrew Garfield as Kit Walker
Kit Walker is the first true cinnamon roll American Horror Story sees, an absolute sweetheart even in the face of enormous trials. The story of his struggles with protecting his wife, a Black woman, in a time when interracial marriage was illegal, then facing torture and despair within the walls of Briarcliff demands an actor of nuance and sensitivity. An actor taking on Kit Walker's role must also be someone who audiences will feel sympathy for right off the bat.
Andrew Garfield is such an actor, finding roles that display his gentle nature as well as his affability. The actor has seen success in some of the greatest works on screen (The Social Network), as well as on stage (Angels In America). His winning ability and personality make him the perfect choice for this put-upon, yet determined character.
Timothée Chalamet as Kyle Spencer
Kyle does not get a lot of screen time, as Coven is most appropriately about its female characters. Like Kit, Kyle is sweet and gentlemanly, but has seen a lot of darkness and tribulation in his young life. He is accidentally killed when the witch Madison Montgomery, played by Emma Roberts, flips his bus over in an act of revenge against his fraternity brothers. The boys are found in pieces, and Kyle is put back together in a hodge-podge spell that combines his head with the body parts of his classmates in order to bring him back to life. Kyle must re-learn to speak, love, and experience life in his newly reanimated body.
It would be interesting to see an up-and-comer in this role, and in 2013-2014, Timothée Chalamet was such an actor, appearing mostly in minor television roles up until that point. The teenaged actor was already promising to be a big hit, and casting him as the cute Frankenstein's monster in an acclaimed TV show might have been an early boost to his burgeoning career.
Nicholas Hoult as Jimmy Darling
Another certifiable sweetheart, Jimmy Darling is the ipso-facto leader of the circus folk. He wants to do right by them and to protect them, and because of this, many of his cohorts look up to him as a kind of hero. Jimmy was born with a defect, and is dubbed "Lobster Boy" as his stage name. A romantic at heart, Jimmy goes to many lengths to protect those he loves—even murder—but his crimes are justified and cast in a sympathetic light.
As a strong, handsome leader with a soft side, Nicholas Hoult is a shoo-in. The actor came to fame as an odd, but winning child in the Hugh Grant film About a Boy, and has charmed audiences ever since. His turn as Beast in X-Men solidified him as a popular and bankable star whose quiet intellect is suited to thoughtful roles such as Jimmy Darling. The role requires a great deal of delicacy and respect as well, as it depicts someone with a disability. Hoult would be well-suited to such a challenge and would play Jimmy with sensitivity and grace.
Jesse Plemons as James Patrick March
The polestar of human evil, James Patrick March is one of the most terrifying characters to grace the American Horror Story universe. A prolific murderer who finds joy in killing in new and creative ways, March is a kind of god to others of his ilk. People like Richard Ramirez, John Wayne Gacy, and Aileen Wuornos look to March as a kind of bard of killing, joining him in a yearly ghostly gathering called "Devil's Night."
As an experienced and award-winning actor, Jesse Plemons has the chops to pull off both the tricky Trans-Atlantic accent and powerful darkness of James Patrick March. The former Fargo and Breaking Bad star showed off his range in the challenging 2020 Charlie Kaufman film, I'm Thinking of Ending Things. Plemons has a memorable and conspicuous presence on screen, lending him perfectly to someone as charismatic and horrific as March.
Freddie Highmore as Edward Phillipe Mott and Rory Monahan
Peters played both Edward Phillipe Mott and the actor who portrayed him, Rory Monahan, in the ambitious season 6, Roanoke. Mott is a dandy and a roustabout who moves to the colonies with his abundant art collection which he prizes above all other things. Mott is spoiled, privileged, and fun to watch, despite his nefarious deeds. As the actor who plays Mott, Rory Monahan is a bit more toned-down. He is, however, still a narcissist, not taking his marriage or the warnings about the house seriously, which leads to his demise.
Freddie Highmore is mostly seen as the sensitive intellectual type, but his turn as Norman Bates in Bates Motel proved that the former child star has not only staying power but adaptability. His impish looks and captivating eyes would certainly help him in the role of a fop and a movie star, and his marked uniqueness would have enhanced the story of Roanoke immensely.
Zac Efron as Kai Anderson/Cult Leaders
Like all cult leaders, Kai Anderson needs to be magnetic, alluring, and duplicitous. He is among the most clever and manipulative characters in the show's history in a season that took a closer look at the horrors of society and human villains. Peters not only played Kai, but he also took on a collection of notable leaders and icons including Andy Warhol, Jesus Christ, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Charles Manson. The role requires abundant versatility and boundless charisma.
Zac Efron first drew audiences to himself as a teen heartthrob, but he soon proved his salt across actors like Nicole Kidman in The Paperboy and as the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. To be a cult leader is to be one who can pull people in his direction, and Efron has certainly displayed that ability not only as a star but as an actor. As Kai, he would have given audiences a portrayal that would almost have them thinking this cult thing isn't such a bad idea. As the other cult leaders, he would have shown someone capable of inspiring chaos, hubris, lust, and even murder.
LaKeith Stanfield as Mr. Gallant
Mr. Gallant is a silly character who is never really taken seriously. A hairdresser from the swanky part of town, he considers himself worthy of saving for the future of humanity when the apocalypse hits. He is tricked into killing his equally odious grandmother by the Antichrist, but other than that, he isn't entirely evil. His self-centered nature makes for some humorous and diverting comic relief in a dark and somewhat languorous season.
With an already astonishing career behind him, LaKeith Stanfield has shown his heft as a dramatic actor. It would be refreshing to see him take on a darkly comedic role similar to the one he had in Sorry to Bother You. Stanfield has comedic chops simmering beneath his serious persona, and Mr. Gallant would give him the perfect opportunity to let them out.
Ellar Coltrane as Jeff Pfister
Jeff Pfister doesn't have a huge role in season 8, Apocalypse, but he is certainly memorable. He and his fellow scientist Mutt Nutter are exactly as their names suggest: kind of the worst. Jeff Pfister is the co-founder of Kineros Robotics and a member of the Cooperative, an organization responsible for gathering certain people in a bunker to withstand the nuclear fallout. Jeff is stupid, obnoxious, and immature, and he sells his soul, helping to usher in the end of days.
Ellar Coltrane has experience with dark comedy and thrillers, having appeared in The Circle and The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. They are an actor with a lot of promise in need of more exposure, and would have been delightfully odd and memorable in the role of Jeff Pfister. Coltrane made their debut in Boyhood, impressing audiences with their natural ability as they came of age onscreen.