American Horror Story has been able to bring back many of its cast members again and again
in new roles every season, without boring viewers.
Why?
Because the show's makeup and personality transformations have made the actors virtually
unrecognizable from one year to the next.
Here are the best American Horror Story on-screen transformations...so far.
Ethel Darling
Kathy Bates has had many memorable roles on American Horror Story over the years.
But her character from Freak Show is perhaps her most iconic yet.
In the fourth season, Bates played Ethel Darling, a world-weary bearded lady with such a no-nonsense
attitude that audiences could sometimes even forget the facial hair was even there.
Papa Legba
When you're gatekeeper to the spirit world, you'd better look the part.
In American Horror Story: Coven, Lance Reddick did just that as the voodoo-inspired Papa
Legba and was completely convincing as the otherworldly character.
"Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha"
Aileen Wuornos
Lily Rabe had big shoes to fill when it came to playing real-life serial killer Aileen
Wuornos.
After all, Charlize Theron won an Oscar for her portrayal in 2003's Monster.
Rabe offered a sauntering performance for American Horror Story: Hotel, but her methodical
mannerisms are just a part of the creepiness.
Makeup artists turned her into a shiver-inducing dead ringer of the notorious murderer.
Pepper
American Horror Story: Asylum featured plenty of unique characters, but none stood out more
than the diminutive Pepper.
A lot of makeup went into overhauling Naomi Grossman's appearance for the role: It took
two people nearly three hours to apply the prosthetic details, fake teeth, contact lenses,
and makeup each day.
Grossman even shaved most of her head for the role.
Liz Taylor
Denis O'Hare's transformation into a transgender woman for American Horror Story's fifth season
was thorough — and not just on the outside.
Aside from the makeup and outfits, O'Hare gave a nuanced performance that showed the
emotional impact transitioning can have.
Liz Taylor was the heart and soul of the Hotel Cortez, and she was simply fabulous.
"I'm sorry Lady, this is a notel motel."
Penny If you didn't already know Grace Gummer is
Meryl Streep's daughter, you would have had a tough time seeing the resemblance in American
Horror Story: Freak Show.
To achieve her look as "Lizard Girl," Gummer endured daily application of an elaborate
puzzle of prosthetic tattoos that covered her entire head and neck.
Although her forked tongue was added in post-production, she did sometimes have to wear a silicon applique
as well.
Infantata
Frankenstein had nothing on Infantata.
The late Ben Woolf played the miniature monstrosity in season 1's Murder House, and the character
was stunning as the reanimated remnants of the murdered Montgomery child who's also ravenous
for blood.
To capture the unsettling look, Woolf had to submit to one heck of a makeup routine.
Twisty the Clown
It took a hefty amount of special effects talent to bring Twisty the Clown to life for
American Horror Story: Freak Show.
In case you've somehow managed to erase the image of his origins from your nightmares,
Twisty shot off his jaw with a shotgun, leaving him horribly disfigured beneath his mask.
No amount of makeup could make actor John Carroll Lynch really look that way, though.
So crew members would paint his face green and cover it with motion capture sensors for
the chilling CGI effects.
Tate Langdon
Actor Evan Peters' character in Murder House didn't usually look all that different from
Evan Peters in real life.
But when Tate applied skull makeup before embarking on his horrific killing spree, it
was thoroughly terrifying and became an instant favorite for cinch Halloween costuming.
Hypodermic Sally
Sarah Paulson was certainly no newcomer to the American Horror Story franchise when she
suited up as a drug-addled ghost to haunt the Hotel Cortez.
Although she also played those memorable conjoined twins Bette and Dot in Freak Show, she's almost
more unrecognizable as Hypodermic Sally with her frazzled hair and ghoulish makeup,
Myrtle Snow
Frances Conroy's memorable turn as Myrtle Snow was an obvious tribute to fashionista
Grace Coddington in Coven and was a brutally stoic — but honest — witch who didn't
even flinch when burned at the stake.
Those who remembered Conroy best for her prior TV work as Ruth on Six Feet Under probably
wouldn't even recognize her beneath all that hair and flair.
Edward Mordrake
Weird facial hair is nothing new for actor Wes Bentley: he'd already done it in 2012's
The Hunger Games before he joined the crazy crew of American Horror Story: Freak Show.
But it wasn't just his next-level facial hair that made his take on Edward Mordrake so memorable.
The 19th Century Brit character also sported an extra face on the back of his head.
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