Evan Peters Recalls the 1 Reason He Landed ‘American Horror Story’
American Horror Story has helped redefine the television landscape. The horror anthology series takes an innovative approach to storytelling, with each installment being a self-contained miniseries with its own storyline and characters. Still, several actors have appeared in multiple seasons, usually as new characters. For many fans, Evan Peters is the most charismatic and talented of the show’s recurring players. Peters first appeared in the AHS universe in season 1. And in an interview with GQ, the actor opened up about how he landed the now-iconic role of Tate Langdon.
‘American Horror Story: Murder House’ debuted in 2011
In 2011, American Horror Story: Murder House kickstarted the series, introducing viewers worldwide to the characters and universe of creator Ryan Murphy. The first season tells the story of a family hoping for a fresh start. They move into a large historic home, only to be haunted by its former occupants.
According to IMDb, Tate Langdon appears early in the season as a 17-year-old patient of the patriarchal psychiatrist, Ben. Played by Evan Peters, the troubled teen forms a close bond with Ben’s 15-year-old daughter, Violet — a friendship that ends in tragedy for the girl. Tate appears in every episode of Murder House and briefly returns in the 2018 season, Apocalypse.
What did Evan Peters say about landing the role of Tate Langdon?
Tate Langdon, who commits mass murder at a school, hasn’t made another appearance in American Horror Story since Apocalypse, but Evans Peters has become a series staple. In a 2018 interview with GQ, Peters opened up about how he landed the now-iconic part.
“When I first started American Horror Story, I had no idea what it was,” the actor admitted. “A lot of the stuff in it — in the pilot, you find out that Tate is a ghost. And in the series, you don’t find out till episode four or five. I loved the character. In the character description, it said you don’t know if he’s going to kiss or kill you. Which I was like, ‘Huh, that’s kind of weird and interesting.'”
Peters added, “And the way it was written, there’s a line about Indian blood, and he’s talking about the dream that he had, and I liked that … I remember Ryan [Murphy] told me years later: ‘Because of the way you said that line, that’s why you got the role.'”
Peters also noted he still thinks the first season is the best. The actor said he loves the series because it “flipped everything on its head.”
Fans think Evan Peters is the best addition to ‘American Horror Story’
Evan Peters has played many other characters in subsequent AHS seasons and remains a fan favorite. From the sociopathic serial killer James Patrick March in AHS: Hotel to the cult leader Kai Anderson in AHS: Cult, the actor has tackled a range of baddies. Still, many fans believe Peters’ performance as March in Hotel is his finest in the franchise.
Regardless of the season or the storyline, Evan Peters brings his A-game to every character he inhabits.
