PaleyFest: Jessica Lange Confirms American Horror Story Exit; Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson Check Into Hotel

Jessica Lange took her final bow as an American Horror Story cast member during the closing night of PaleyFest on Sunday. After a lengthy standing ovation, Lange confirmed last fall’s Freak Show installment was her last season of the FX horror anthology series.

“We’ve had a great run here,” Lange said. “I have absolutely loved doing these four characters that I’ve had the opportunity to play. In all the madness, I’ve loved the writers and my actors and [creator] Ryan [Murphy] and the whole insanity of it. But yes, I’m done.”

Lange joined fellow Freak Show actors Finn Wittrock (Dandy), Denis O’Hare (Stanley), Sarah Paulson (Bette & Dot), Michael Chiklis (Dell), Kathy Bates (Ethel) and Evan Peters (Jimmy) along with executive producer Tim Minear to reminiscence about the carnival-themed season. Lange took a moment to pay tribute to costar Ben Woolf, who died in February after being hit by a car.

“Ben was one of the most amazing, loveliest, most tender human beings I have ever met,” Lange said. “I think it’s a great tragedy what happened.”

After Freak Show‘s conclusion in January, FX announced the fifth American Horror Story installment would be subtitled Hotel and star pop superstar Lady Gaga. Towards the end of the panel, Hotel’s male lead was confirmed to be White Collar star Matt Bomer, who also made a guest appearance in Freak Show.

“I love collaborating with Ryan Murphy, we’ve done it quite a few times,” said Bomer, who also starred in Murphy’s HBO film The Normal Heart. “I felt like this was a world where there really were no bounds, which is rare to experience as an actor.”

Bomer was mum when it came to details about his character, he did hint there “may be a romantic relationship” between him and Lady Gaga. “I only got to dip my toes in the freaky-deaky nature of the show, but I’m ready to go to the deep end, baby!” Bomer said.

But Bomer wasn’t the only new face welcomed to the franchise as Cheyenne Jackson (Glee) also joined the panel and confirmed his participation in Hotel. “This is my favorite show,” Jackson said. “I know nothing, but this is a fantastic acting troupe, so I’m absolutely nervous, but I’m very excited.”

Are you excited about Bomer and Jackson joining the American Horror Story universe? And are you sad to see Lange depart the series?