Why Did Jessica Lange Leave the American Horror Story Franchise? Truth Explained

Following 4 seasons of main character energy, Jessica Lange, who portrayed the role of Fiona Goode in American Horror Story, decided to step down to a recurring character.

Eventually, her character started appearing less and less until her final appearance in 2018 (in American Horror Story: Apocalypse). According to her 2013 interview with Entertainment Weekly (via GameRant), it was because of her time commitment.

It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run.

She continued,

This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess.

Citing personal and family time as a reason, Jessica Lange left American Horror Story after four seasons of portraying a plethora of characters.

What Were Jessica Lange’s Characters in American Horror Story?

Jessica Lange in a still from American Horror Story | Credits: 20th Television

As an anthology series, Jessica Lange portrayed four different characters across the first 4 seasons of American Horror Story. Lauded for her performance, Lange earned two Emmy Awards for her dedication to the role.

Her characters in American Horror Story include Constance Langdon in Murder House (Season 1) and Apocalypse (Season 8), Sister Jude Martin in Asylum (Season 2), Fiona Goode in Coven (Season 3), and Elsa Mars in Freak Show (Season 4).

Her roles as Fiona Goode and Constance Langdon earned her two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actress, respectively.

Jessica Lange Announces Surprise Return to American Horror Story After 7 Years

It was on Ryan Murphy Productions’ IG page that the cast for season 13 of American Horror Story was announced. With the return of Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson, the list also added Ariana Grande and Angela Bassett to the 13th season of the show.

The final moments of the teaser reveal Jessica Lange as a returning cast member of American Horror Story, and fans are already excited about it.

With a release date of Halloween 2026, it seems that Jessica Lange’s return to American Horror Story could propel the show to newer heights of fame and acclaim.

With critical acclaim and fame, the only thing we can do is wait and see for any new updates on the iconic TV show. What are your thoughts about Jessica Lange’s return? Let us know in the comments below.

American Horror Story is available to stream on Prime Video (USA).