Lady Gaga on What Ryan Murphy Sees in Her That Most Others Miss
Lady Gaga is a pop icon — an unpredictable, risk-taking, statement-making, vocal powerhouse whose creativity is unparalleled. From Artpop to Joanne, the “Shallow” singer can shift seamlessly between musical styles; she even successfully forayed into a jazz album Cheek to Cheek alongside the great Tony Bennett. Yet, before American Horror Story, Gaga’s career was mostly music-based, as her on-screen work was quite minimal.
Gaga has now proven her acting chops. She was Oscar-nominated for A Star Is Born in 2019, and she will reportedly star in Bullet Train alongside an all-star ensemble including Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, and Michael Shannon. Yet, playing The Countess in AHS laid the groundwork for her future cinematic career, as she took home the Golden Globe for her performance as the ruthless, self-serving vampire.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gaga discussed her relationship with Ryan Murphy. She noted what the AHS creator spotted in her from the get-go — something many passersby tend to miss, as they mistake her appearance for an identity.
Lady Gaga praises Ryan Murphy’s talent and explains a stereotype she still struggles to shake
When talking about Ryan Murphy, Gaga had a surplus of complimentary words to share; she labeled him “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping…never the same, totally unique…unafraid to reference or not reference…” In other words, she sees his creative fire, and she appreciates it immensely. Gaga went on to tell The Hollywood Reporter that they both have received similar criticisms in their careers — that they’re “over the top” or “trying too hard.”
Gaga explained that she “learned so much watching [Murphy’s] process,” before noting the industry reputation she can’t shake, despite all her success. Gaga said:
“Through my career, the number of times, even after Grammys and tons of accolades and awards, no matter how much number one records that you get, I’m still a blonde with tits and an ass. And, there’s still like some inability for people to take it seriously…”
Gaga | THR
Though Gaga continues to face roadblocks in her career — an image that, to some, overrides or erases her artistic accomplishments altogether— Murphy was not one of those human roadblocks, but rather a direct contradiction to those people.
How Ryan Murphy treats Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga told The Hollywood Reporter about Ryan Murphy, explaining how he responded to her as an artist. She shared:
“Ryan [Murphy] is not the way. Ryan’s like ‘you’re an old movie star, come sit next to me, let me brush your hair, and let’s talk about your career.”
Gaga went on to explain that while she knows “it shouldn’t matter that he’s gay, [she] has very special relationships with [her] gay friends.” She described it as “a whole other thing. It’s a wise, feminine connection that extends beyond sex. It’s more about admiring each other as people…”
