Warning: this story contains spoilers for Episodes 11 and 12 of American Horror Story: 13. Read at your own risk!
Joey Pollari predicts that AHS fans are going to respond appropriately to the reveal that both of Jessica Lange‘s Emmy-winning characters — southern belle Constance Langdon from “Murder House” and supreme witch Fiona Goode from “Coven” — are twin sisters and the daughters of Sister Jude Martin from “Asylum.”
“Cue the GIFs, cue the memes,” he laughs. “The show has had such an amazing internet life.”
Pollari speaks with Gold Derby about “Madison’s Happy Ending” and “Sisters in Arms,” the two episodes that aired in this penultimate week of the landmark 13th season. The AHS newcomer plays Ben, a hospice worker who learns that he is the son of Satan, aka Mr. Nas (Paul Anthony Kelly).
In Episode 11, Ben visits the New Orleans coven, where he brings Frances Conroy‘s Myrtle Snow home from hell and begins dating Emma Roberts’ Madison Montgomery. In Episode 12, the witches discover that Constance and Fiona are sisters, and then a last-ditch effort is launched against Mr. Nas.
Pollari, who first collaborated with American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy on Monster and The Beauty, also tells us about working alongside Frances Conroy, who came out of retirement to play Myrtle Snow one last time. “Admiration is a great way to be calm,” he says with a smile. “It was like watching a great dancer.”
Read on for our full interview with Pollari:
Gold Derby: Are you OK with fans calling you Demon Boy for the rest of time?
Joey Pollari: Angela Bassett called me Demon Boy when we were working together, and I thought that was the greatest thrill of my life. So, yeah, if Angela says it, anyone else can jump on board.
What is going through Ben’s mind now that he knows he is the spawn of Satan?
He is certainly thinking about what he can get away with. Can he really walk away from the destiny that has been foisted upon him to spread evil into the world? His history has been one of experiencing great pain. He knows he does not want to do that, but his fear is that he will be pulled toward that. The show explores his wish to move on from it and whether he will get away with moving in that direction.
As the actor, what is your favorite power among all of Ben’s newfound abilities?
Twisting someone’s head off is no small feat. [Laughs.] I think everyone on set was wondering, “How is this all going to work? How is the blood going to be splattered?” As the actor, you are wishing for Ben to speak up, find out what is really going on, and act beyond his fear. To have a scene where that is manifested, for him to maybe overshoot it a little bit, was a really great pleasure.
You got some blood on your face, right? What does it taste like? What does it feel like?
I don’t know what it tastes like, but it did get in my eye and had to be flushed out. It was my final day of shooting. I was wrapped, and I was seeing everyone through not only bleary eyes from the blood that accidentally got in, but also through an emotional haze because I loved that crew so much.
If that was your last day, what was your first day?
Meeting Constance Langdon for the first time. It was the first time I had met Jessica. I had seen her in passing in a trailer, but nothing more, and obviously had great admiration for her. I think she is one of our greatest actors. There was a great unknown before me, and there was a great unknown before Ben as he returned to work, so it was a parallel experience. It was wonderful — no acting was required. She turned to me, they started rolling, and she came out with this Southern drawl. I went, “Hi, I’m Joey.” It was off to the races from there. It felt perfect: first meeting, first day.
Speaking of Constance, there is a huge twist in Episode 12 when we find out Constance and Fiona are twin sisters, and their mother is Sister Jude. As an AHS fan, what did it mean to you finding all of this information?
I thought, “Wow, this is so great!” They are connecting all of this lore and finding centerpieces for the ways these universes have a shared familial and thematic interest in the way evil finds its way. They have made this season feel very familiar, especially for the fans. As someone who is interested in psychology, I like this idea that it runs in the family. I was thrilled to read this stuff. I think the writers pulled off something really interesting this season. How they reveal it is really fun.
How do you think the fandom will react to Constance and Fiona being twin sisters?
Cue the GIFs, cue the memes. The show has had such an amazing internet life, with fans responding in that way. I think people are going to pick up on the themes of family and doubles, and Ben has that same trajectory. They are seeing a character and asking, “What is really his relation here? How has he been developed?” And then: “Oh, wow. Of course, he is the son of Satan.”
Frances Conroy came out of retirement for these episodes, and she shared many of her scenes with you. How did you keep calm?
Admiration is a great way to be calm. The first time I worked with her, we were in the mall where she is for eternity, giving fashion advice that no one listens to. I had met her in passing — “Hello, hi, Joey. Nice to meet you” — but then they said we were going to do rehearsal. Here is an actor I grew up watching on Six Feet Under, which was my favorite show as a teenager; I sobbed at the finale. And there is Frances Conroy. She is full of ideas. She is fully trying things out. It was like watching a great dancer. She had inspired choreography. At that point, you are not worried about yourself anymore. At least for me, I find that to be a safe space. I thought, “God, I am just going to learn something here, and this is going to be really interesting.”
All I needed to do was show up and respond. What an amazing day in my life. Many days on this set, I would go over to Video Village and tell them, “This is the greatest day of my life.” Jessica Lange would turn to a window and say “Silence,” and it was just Jessica Lange talking about the ways she was sitting at a dinner table. We were there together, and she was crying about what she had done to her children. “Life is suffering, the Buddha said.” I mean, wow. You just try to stay present. To be in the presence of such wonderful talent puts me at ease, that is for sure.
What was it like being up close and personal with Myrtle Snow’s iconic hair?
I took about 15 photos of it. [Laughs.] On the final day of shooting, I finally convinced Head of Hair Josh Gericke to put me in the wig, so I got to experience that. But when I put it on, I thought, “Well, I am not Myrtle Snow.” Instead, I felt this bratty energy with the big red hair. I will post the photo at some point. Wigs do different things to different people, but it was wonderful to see, especially her fashion. Catherine Crabtree and Lou Eyrich put her in these incredible costumes — the gloves and everything — and it was a pleasure to see an actor who knows what to do with a costume. It was a pleasure beyond pleasure.
You and Emma Roberts starred in your own rom-com storyline in Episode 11. What was it like playing make-believe lovers with her?
It was easy as pie because I just adore Emma. We are such good friends. The moment we met was also in passing, and then we did a podcast episode together for AHS. When I watch it back, I can see, in real time, that I was thinking, “This episode is going to go great.” A large part of being an actor is knowing when everything is going to lock into place.
When you work with Jessica Lange, it is going to lock into place. All you have to do is sit and watch and listen because she is such a great scene partner. Frances Conroy, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Gabourey Sidibe — it was like, “Wow, all these people I got to have scenes with.” It is pretty easy to fall in love with what they are coming up with. So, to do this with Emma was fantastic. When we were playing the scenes, I said, “I could do this all day. This is just easy as pie.”
Your character is terrified of the number 13. What terrifies you?
I always say Apple Watches. [Laughs.] That is the boldest thing I say. Apple Watches scare me for some reason. Surveillance. I have a great interest in psychology. A lot of the books behind me are psychology books. I am scared of what is in people’s shadows — what is unseen. I think that is really the work of art as well. It is about what lives in our cultural shadow, our cultural unconscious, what someone is capable of, and what darkness they will be driven to. I think that is what scares all of us, in some way.
Ryan Murphy has said there will be a Season 14 of American Horror Story. What would it take to get you back on the set again? [Editor’s note: FX picked up the show after this interview took place.]
Whatever is up to those writers. I have nothing to say about whether I will or will not be in future seasons, but I am counting my blessings that I am in this one. It has been a great experience.
Is there a character from the past that you would have loved to play?
I really admire Asylum, and I would like to play something like that — like working with Sister Jude. I think that is a fantastic character. So, something like that. Something religious is definitely a calling.
Thank you so much. I cannot wait to see the finale next week.
Oh, yes. It is good. All is not what it seems, so I hope you enjoy it.
The season finale of American Horror Story: 13 airs Oct. 29 on FX and streams on Hulu.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
