The macabre and dark series “American Horror Story” has kept fans coming back for more gruesome and disconcerting twists to the well planned plots that have unfolded through the changing seasons. The over the top terror that is artfully intertwined with dark humor and loads of sexually charged scenarios has kept us at the edges of our seats, delivering drama and an off the charts fear factor that rivals “The Shining” or Rosemary’s Baby” since its premiere. If you’re not up to date with the series, here are a few reasons why you may want to jump on board and get caught up with the 20 best “American Horror Stories” characters ever, and the scenes that helped them rank in popularity with fans.
20. Leigh Emerson
Ian McShane brilliantly portrays the murderous Santa in Season 2 of “American Horror Story” in the “Asylum” run. He’s a villainous psychopath who’s out to wreck everyone’s Christmas. He began his rampage of terror on December 19,1962. , After being committed to Briacliff, they made the mistake of releasing him from solitary, as it wasn’t long be.fore the serial killer with a penchant for Santa suits escaped and resumed his life’s passion. Ending the lives of others.
19. Billie Dean Howard
Sarah Paulson is Billie Dean Howard in Season 1 “Murder House,” and again in Season 5 “Hotel.” She is a psychic medium and one of the first characters in the show to give the audience a real insight into the ghosts are creatures from the underworld that they were actually seeing on the series. She is one of the favorite characters because audiences can relate to her. She isn’t spooky or creepy, but she does give us a few thrills when she gets in over her head trying to contact John Lowe on Devil’s Night. Billie is an essential character because she introduces us to the supernatural and astral planes that are so integrally weaved into the plot of the series. In one of the most popular scenes, the reefers to the Lost Colony of Roanoke, with a few hints about the big mystery that so many take an interest in.
18. Stanley
Denis O’Hare did a remarkable job playing Stanley, the con artist who is an absolute pro at donning a new face and a fake name to make his dirty money. It’s obvious that there isn’t much that he would shy away from if he stands a chance to make a buck. When he gets to Elsa’s freak show in Season 4 “Freak Show,” he’s delighted at the array of examples that he knows will serve his purposes nicely. He’s one of the most highly favored villains on the show because of his unique way of killing them. He’s the character that everyone loves to hate, because, let’s face it…he’s one of the most disgusting we’ve seen and he’s so bad that we just can’t seem to stop watching him.
17. Spalding
If you couldn’t get enough of Stanley, it was probably because Denis O’ Hare gave you a taste of his off kilter talents when he played the next favorite character Spalding in Season 3 “Coven.” He’s a bizarre prisoner who is the only one who actually saw how Fiona became the Supreme. Although it’s messed up, he cut off his own tongue prior to speaking in from of the council so he wouldn’t be obliged to tell them the truth about her. It wasn’t that he wanted to spill the beans, but thanks to Myrtle who cast a spell on his tongue, he was compelled to always tell the truth. Spalding is happy as long as he gets to play with his dolls, and he’s Fiona’s loyal servant. In this scene, he gets his tongue back, but it doesn’t end well for him.
When he was still able to talk, his most memorable line was “Miss Fiona, I have always loved you.”
16. Anne Frank, Charlotte Brown
In Season 2 “Asylum, Franka Potente plays the anti-hero Anne Frank. If you didn’t watch the episode, we’ll answer your question before you ask it. Yes, it was that Anne Frank. She’s a woman who claims to be the little girl from the concentration camps that the then Nazi, Dr. Arden worked at while he was a member of the party. She knows a lot about the Holocaust, and although some of it is believable, she has a family that says otherwise. She is Charlotte Brown and is having some serious delusions. It’s twisted and a bit disturbing to say the least.
15. Aileen Wuournos
Aileen Wuournos, played by actress Lily Rabe is the psychopath from Season 5 “Hotel.” This character made the top twenty list because viewers could almost relate to her story. Her childhood was absolutely terrible and her adult life just got worse. Prostitution wasn’t a vocation that helped her self-esteem one bit. She is one of the more memorable serial killers on the series because you could almost feel the pain of the character that Rabe so skillfully delivered in her presentation of the tortured and psychotic Aileen. Her character was free with the distribution of vulgarity and language not fit for younger viewers.
14. Madison Mongomery
Emma Roberts swas Madison Montgomery in Season 3 “Coven.” This character was a witch and diva that Spalding pulled out of his doll chest. When he first brings her out, the bumbling oaf breaks off her arm. Madison is a Hollywood socialite that thoroughly enjoys her reckless lifestyle. She found a safe harbor at Miss Robichaux’s Academy or Exceptional Young Ladies. She had some impressive powers of telekinesis that she seemed to come by quite naturally. She had the ability to reanimate as well as cast other spells. Her powers were growing quickly and Fiona knew that she was a potential candidate to the Supreme throne, but she also viewed her as a threat. She came from a gold digging mother who took advantage of her daughter’s beauty and fame in exchange for hard drugs and wealth. Fiona saw to it that Madison was kept in her place until she reached a pinnacle in the development of her powers.
13. Queenie
Gabourey Sidebe is the actress that plays the Diva, witch Queenie. In an attempt to assist Delphine LaLaurie come to grips with the social conventions of the modern age, she forces her to watch the television mini series “Roots.” Delphine absolutely needs to get a handle on her racism and move into a little more socially acceptable mode of operation. Queenie has the ability to transform her own body into a human voodoo doll. When she inflicts acts of violence on herself, the pain and wounds are transferred to her intended victims. She can also commit murder by doing this.
12. Chad Warwick
We meet Chad Warwick, played by Zach Quinto in Season 1 “Murder House.” He is a diva, prisoner, ghost type that was one of many victims of the Rubber Man serial killer. He’s trapped in a loveless marriage and gets the idea that it might help to spice things up in the bedroom by bringing some really kinky fetish enhancements on board. Instead of purchasing a leather suit, the one he bought was rubber. Tate’s ghost got his hands on the suit and took out his rage on Patrick and Chad because o their constant fighting instead of finding a way to get a child to come into thee house. He imprisoned them forever in the Murder House.
11. Dr. Charles Montgomery
Dr. Charles Montgomery, played by Matt Ross is your typical Mad doctor and general psychopath. He and his wife Nora were the first owners of the Murder House. He was a surgeon for the rich and famous. He became addicted to ether and his practice went down the drain, so he began performing illegal abortions to maintain his lifestyle and keep he and Nora afloat. One disgruntled boyfriend of a patient sought revenge against Montgomery and stole their newborn child, dismembering the baby and sending it to the authorities. This drove a wedge between Nora and Charles. The doctor worked hard at putting the body of his son back together. He used the heart of a fetus he had aborted to bring the thing back to life. Nora was horrified at is grisly act and murdered him, then turning the gun on herself in a murder-suicide.
10. Twisty the Clown
John Carroll Lynch did an amazing job of portraying Twisty the Clown, who was a villainous freak that no kid would want at his birthday party. Twisty was one scary dude and he appeared in several horrifying scenes that would give anyone nightmares. He appeared in Season 4 “Freak Show,” as the town clown who had been unjustly accused of being a child molester. He had attempted suicide, but was unsuccessful. This character had attempted to blow his own head off with a shotgun, but somehow managed to survive the blast. This forced him to cover up what remained of his face, but he chose to do so with makeup and by fashioning hats made from the scalp of his victims.
9. Lee Harris
Adina Porter played the role of Lee Harris. Lee was a supporting character who came out in Season 6 “Roanoke.” The anti-hero who was also prisoner turned full on hero. She was a former policewoman who was a big skeptic when it came to the experiences at the house until she becomes a part of the horrific nightmare that is unfolding there. Thee fact that she was recovering from a bad addiction to prescription drugs didn’t help her any either. She brings her daughter Flora to the Roanoke house and it is here that her child is kidnapped. Her ex-husband shows up to take Flora back to live with him, but doesn’t make it out alive. Lee is a tough woman but we see her character soften while honing her survival instincts out of sheer necessity.
8. Kit Walker
In the second Season “Asylum” we meet Evan Peters in the role of Kit Walker, the true blue hero. He is the one that rescues Sr. Jude from Briarcliff, then cares for her at his house until the time of her passing. The character endures a lot, including being accused of being the dread serial killer Bloody Face. He pleads his innocence, but Dr. Arden still subjects him to his terrible experiments. He’s also accused of being a spy for the KGB because of an implant that the doctors found in his neck. As it turns out, Kit and his wife had actually been abducted by aliens. Kit eventually finds his way out of Briarcliff and attempts to live a normal life with his wife Alma, but things keep getting complicated.
7. Liz Taylor
In the fifth Season “Hotel,” Denis O’Hare is back for his diva/hero role as Liz Taylor. He has served the countess for the majority of his life, but Liz decided that it is time to persue her dreams. The Countess isn’t having any of this and takes the opportunity away. Liz is hell bent on revenge, butt we also see the soft side off her when she is reunited with her son. She gives us some of the most heart wrenching scenes in the show on an emotional level. It isn’t until the Countess comes to her end that Liz can finally get on with life and make it worth the effort. He settled things with the ghosts and formed a family that he wanted to actually stay with.
6. Constance Langdon
Constance Langdon, played by the actress Jessica Lange is the diva/antagonist of thee first Season “Murder House.” Constance is a gem with a politically incorrect manner of speaking that is free in delivering backhanded compliments. She established many memorable moments in Season 1. Constance has relocated from Los Angeles in pursuit of a dream that never materialized in the real world. She was the mother of four kids, but viewers only get to meet three of them.Tate is the child that she dotes on. When she caught her husband sleeping with Moira, the maid, she murdered them both. She had an affair with the owner o the Murder House, Larry Harvey. She knows all too well about the ghosts that haunt the house and just how it works. She lives next door so it’s convenient for her to pay the a visit when she feels like it. She did her share of messed up things including having her child spit into food that was being served to other people. She’s a manipulator who interferes in the lives of others when there’s something she can gain out of it. Her child becomes a school shooter with psychopathic tendencies and she could easily e voted the worst mother of all time. She is really a vile character, but fans love her.
5. Tate Langdon
We meet Tate Langdon, son of Constance, in Season 1 “Murder House.” He’s played by Evan Peters and is a psychopathic villain that becomes a school shooter. This character is a mishmash of both nobility and villainy, which is why fans love him so dearly. He goes on a mass shooting spree at the high school he attends and later pays with his life for the crime.
4. Sister Mary Eunice McKee
In Season 2 “Asylum,” we meet Sister Mary Eunice McKee, played by Lily Rabe. She’s thee antagonist who was once possessed, and gives in to the vile intentions of Dr. Arden. This is the very thing that tips him over the edge. She is the most prominent nun at Briarcliff. She has a unique innocence about her and this is something that seems to thoroughly intrigue Dr. Arden who relentlessly pursues her. Upon her demonic possession, she becomes as evil as any other character on the show. She even goes so far as to get Sr. Jude committed.
3. Fiona Goode
In Season 3 “Coven,” Jessica Lange plays the role of the Supreme witch and diva Fiona Goode. She has spent 45 years as the Supreme witch and she, along with everyone else that is privy to the fact, knows that she is really good at it. When it comes to being reckless, she’s at the top of the list. Her top goals were achieving power, respect and greatness and she went at it with a fearlessness that makes you have a measure of respect for her. Fiona is an absolutely ruthless character that will stop at little to make her own dreams come true. If anyone got in her way, she simple eliminated them. She spent some of her time making Madame Delphine LaLaurie’s life a living hell, but it was all for the sake of her own amusement. She wasn’t one that you wanted to cross or upset in any way because Fiona had the power to suck the very life force from your body. She once attempted to fix the badly damaged relationship with her daughter Cordelia. We thought that perhaps, we were seeing a good side to the Supreme witch, but as it turned out, all she really wanted to do was to come into contact with the friends of her daughter so she could absorb their energy. She was definitely a piece of work, but with Jessica Lange at the helm, the character was wildly popular, regardless of how rotten and conniving she was. She is one of thee most memorable characters of the show.
2. Madame Delphine LaLaurie
There is no actress who could have performed the role of Madame Delphine La Laurie like Kathy Bates. In Season 2 Coven, she falls under a variety of classifications including diva, villain and resident psychopath. This “American Horror Story” character is actually based on the life of a real person who existed at the turn of the 19th century. She would take slaves into the attic of her home to torture them. LaLaurie, played by Bates, is just as sick and depraved, although she is a Louisiana socialite who murdered and tortured slaves in the 1800s. One day she made a grave mistake and offended the wrong person. A voodoo with named queen Marie Laveau, cast an immortality spell upon her, and then buried her alive and set the conditions that she was never to be dug up. In her quest for eternal life, Fiona Goode made the mistake of unearthing her and allowing her to serve her in the coven. The character is constantly ridiculed and belittled because of her lack of knowledge about the modern age.
1. Lana Winters
Sarah Paulson’s portrayal of Lana Winters in Season 2 Asylum and Season 6 Roanoke put this character over the top for placing as the number one best character of all time on “American Horror Story.” She fills multiple classifications including anti-hero, diva, and prisoner. She escapes Briarcliff with Dr. Thredson, to discover that he’s Bloody Face. The Asylum season begins with Lana attempting to become a big shot journalist and discover the truth about a local serial killer named Bloody Face. She goes undercover to Briarcliff and snoops around the grounds to see what kind of clues she can find. While exploring a tunnel, she gets knocked unconscious and wakes up as a prisoner at Briarcliff, and who other than the murderer she is after, helps her escape to his home?
Follow Us
