At a spoken-word evening in his native Baltimore, filmmaker John Waters told attendees he will play a major role in the upcoming thirteenth season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology, American Horror Story. The revelation came amid anecdotes about his career and a cheeky acknowledgment of the kind of parts fans often see him in.
Waters made the announcement while onstage at the Baltimore Soundstage, an event that tied into a broader run of local shows; listings for the venue included an entry titled “A Date With John Waters”. On that night he signaled that details about his character must remain under wraps, but promised it would be a substantial addition to the cast.
What Waters said and the tone of the announcement
Onstage, Waters framed the news with his usual irreverent humor, noting that the industry tends to slot him into certain archetypes. He quipped about past horror-adjacent appearances and his longstanding affection for genre work. The director’s remarks echoed his public persona as the self-styled “Pope of Trash”, a label reflecting his decades-long career as an icon of transgressive cinema.
Audience reaction and local context
The crowd at Baltimore Soundstage responded enthusiastically to the surprise reveal. The appearance also connected to the city’s event listings that month, where Waters featured on the schedule for a ticketed evening at the same venue. Those listings confirmed the filmmaker’s active engagement with local fans and the vibrant Baltimore arts circuit.
Where season 13 stands and who’s in it
Ryan Murphy had previously hinted at the direction of the thirteenth installment, and expectations are that the season will arrive close to Halloween, following the franchise’s tradition of late-October premieres. Production was reported to be beginning soon after the tease, and the cast list includes both longtime collaborators and newcomers.
Key cast members and franchise connections
Confirmed performers include franchise regulars such as Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, and Billie Lourd. Also listed are Leslie Grossman, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, and the returning legend Jessica Lange, who had previously suggested she would not be coming back. Early speculation among fans ties season 13 to the third season, known as Coven, due to shared cast members and thematic hints. One notable new arrival to the AHS ensemble is pop star Ariana Grande, marking her first substantial entry into the series.
John Waters’ screen history and relationship with Ryan Murphy
Waters is widely known for directing provocative films like Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, and Serial Mom. Beyond writing and directing, he has taken acting turns—frequently in projects that play with horror or camp—such as roles in Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat, Seed of Chucky, and Suburban Gothic. His image and body of work make him a natural fit for genre television that blurs the line between satire and fright.
Previous collaborations and TV appearances
Waters has worked with Ryan Murphy before; he portrayed director William Castle in Murphy’s FX drama Feud: Bette and Joan, which aired in 2017. He’s also appeared in episodes of crime television and recent horror-leaning shows, including a guest role in the contemporary Chucky TV series. During his Baltimore performance he even joked about the longevity of his television residuals, noting that some procedural series keep paying him because they rerun endlessly.
With Waters now attached, season 13 gains one of modern cinema’s most distinctive personalities—someone who can bring camp, menace, and a very particular comedic sensibility to the anthology format. Fans of both Waters and American Horror Story are already parsing his likely character types and anticipating how his presence will intersect with returning cast members and the season’s hinted ties to earlier chapters like Coven.
As production moves forward, viewers can expect official casting updates and promotional materials to clarify Waters’ role and how season 13 will position itself within the broader AHS universe. For now, the combination of familiar faces, a high-profile new cast member, and the addition of John Waters has energized the fan community and raised expectations for a season that could reconnect with the series’ past while introducing fresh, provocative storytelling.