Jessica Lange joins cast of 'Therese Raquin'

Two-time Oscar winner and American Horror Story’s Jessica Lange will return to the big screen alongside Elizabeth Olsen in Charlie Stratton’s remake of Emile Zola’s erotic thriller, Therese Raquin. Lange replaces Glenn Close as Madam Raquin, the overbearing aunt to Olsen’s Therese, who is having an affair with her bland husband’s (Tom Felton) best friend (Oscar Isaacs). No release date is set.

Image Credit: Prashant Gupta/FX

'American Horror Story' scoop: Season 2's setting revealed

by Hillary Busis

Back in February, scaremaster Ryan Murphy teased that the second season of American Horror Story would involve a “horror institution” on the East Coast. Now the series’ co-creator has revealed what that institution is — as well as which familiar face will be running the joint.
According to Murphy, the show’s sophomore season “is set on the East Coast at an institution for the criminally insane that is run by Jessica [Lange].” He revealed the news yesterday at a TV Academy panel in North Hollywood. As The Hollywood Reporter points out, AHS‘s season 1 episode “Birth” contained a clue about this setting; in one scene, a medium played by Sarah Paulson notes that certain places, like prisons or asylums (or Murder Houses), tend to be filled with a negative energy that feeds on trauma and pain.
But don’t expect to see Lange reprise her role as cruel, campy Constance Langdon. Instead, she’ll be playing a new character altogether — fitting, since Murphy also explained that season 2 “is set in a completely different time period.”
AHS cast members Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, and Zachary Quinto will appear with Lange in Season 2; Murphy has not yet revealed which of them, if any, will play inmates at Lange’s asylum. They’ll also be joined by a new face: The Voice coach Adam Levine, who will play one of two “lovers,” alongside an actress yet to be named.

Jessica Lange will return to 'American Horror Story'

(EW.com, March 1, 2012)

If you liked Jessica Lange in season one of American Horror Story, then you’re going to love what creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have in store for season 2: EW has learned exclusively that the two-time Oscar winner will return to the FX drama this fall.

The actress, who won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award for her work as the hateful, bigoted (and extremely delicious) Constance Langdon, has signed a new deal to stay with the horror franchise. But she won’t reprise her memorable role in the new season, which resumes production in late July for a mid-October return to FX. She’ll play someone entirely new, promises Murphy.


“We have designed the second season of American Horror Story completely around her character,” Murphy told EW exclusively. “Last year Jessica came in with Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott. This will really be the Jessica Lange show so I’m very excited about it. We are designing this amazing new opposite of the Constance character for her. She and I have spoken about different things. She has a lot of ideas, and has a lot of input into her character. She told me some things she has always wanted to play as an actress. She’s a great collaborator and a great friend.”

“I really sweated this negotiation,” continues Murphy, “so I’m glad she is firmly on board.”

Lange is not the only actor from season 1 who will return for a second year. Murphy said he signed three more, but won’t reveal their identities until Friday when he and the AHS cast members participate in the annual PaleyFest in Beverly Hills. (EW’s own Tim Stack will moderate.) Obviously, Britton and Walsh, a.k.a. the Harmons, won’t return because they perished at the end of season 1. That means potential returnees could be Denis O’Hare (Larry Harvey), Evan Peters (Tate Langdon), and Frances Conroy (Moira O’Hara).

AHS season 2 will take place on the East Coast and will involve a horror institution. Regrettably, that’s all we can get from Murphy.

Jessica in People magazine

The Vow opening Feb. 10

Lange wins SAG Award

Transcript

JESSICA LANGE: Well, this is…this is such a pleasure coming from the actors. It means the world to me, so I thank you. Thank you to F/X and all the crazy, wild, imaginative people who put this thing together. It was a real leap of faith for me to jump into it, but it’s been a wonderful ride. It’s great to play such a big character with so much to do.

And I want to thank specifically the writers. I want to thank the directors. I would love to thank Ryan Murphy for his special attention to this character. And mostly I want to thank the other actors. Sometimes, you know, you go to work and it’s…it’s thrilling, and that’s what makes us continue to do it. So, I thank you for your generosity. I thank you for making my work better and…to be an actor means everything to me. So, thank you so much.

Post Golden Globe interview