Some spoilers below for American Horror Stories' Season 1 finale, so be warned!
American Horror Story: Double Feature's two-story season is changing the game for the franchise in the same way the episodic anthology American Horror Stories did, proving just how deep the genre is. Singer-songwriter Noah Cyrus is oh so familiar with the long-running FX hit, as it's been her favorite TV series since its earliest days, which made it quite the monumental life moment when she landed a fourth-wall-breaking dream role in Stories' Season 1 finale, titled "Game Over." And Cyrus told CinemaBlend that she had such a blast visiting Murder House that she's very interested in taking on more acting roles.
As part of quite the famous family, Noah Cyrus did take on acting gigs more regularly as a young child, appearing in both father Billy Ray Cyrus' medical drama Doc and sister Miley Cyrus' Disney comedy Hannah Montana, among other roles. Now at 20, having established herself as a successful Grammy-nominated musician, Cyrus remained unattracted to the acting world for various reasons, but below, she explained to me how falling into her role on American Horror Stories helped her mold those predispositions. In her words:
Yeah, it definitely is super crazy. I was just thinking, I had never really had anything else like this in my entire life, because you're right, I don't act at all, or haven't in a long time. And I think this has opened a lot of doors for me, and I think I've fallen in love with acting completely. But I think that's also because I had such a fun experience filming this show. For me, working as somebody that struggles with body dysmorphia like I do, working on set of a show seemed intimidating to me. 'What about the angles? What about this? What if I...?' And that's not something you can think about filming a TV show. They have their stuff they need to film, and they're filming, and everybody is really quick, and everybody wants to get their shot. My acting coach was kind of preparing me for that before I worked on the show. She was like, 'You're not gonna have time to do this. It's gonna be shoot the scenes, and once you get it, you're done, you move on.' And I felt like that was really good for me, to not be able to go and obsess over what a monitor looks like, or obsess over what take they're gonna choose. Because again, like everything, it was out of your control, and it was good for me, and it was healthy for me.
If only every job could be so enjoyable and eye-opening, the world would be a vastly different place. (Though hopefully with American Horror Story still in existence.) To that end, Cyrus followed up by saying how positive it was as a general experience, the lessons and insights she took in meant that much more to her now at this point in her life and career.
I really appreciated that aspect of being on the set and being able to work on that for myself as a person. But, I mean, I haven't done anything acting-wise since I was like a child. So it was cool that this was my first time being on screen as me and who I am now, you know, after the world's heard all of my music that I care about so much. Everybody calls it a debut, but I feel like that's so extra. To be able to do that, and it be a part of the AHS franchise was incredible for me, being such a fan.
While it's certainly possible that Noah Cyrus could have had the same kind of empowering time on another TV show, the fact that it happened within her very favorite franchise is the hot fudge, sprinkles, caramel and cherry atop the sundae. Any kind of work is easier to enjoy and learn from if you're having fun, after all, and Cyrus' role as Connie, opposite Adam Hagenbuch's Dylan, looked like it would have been a blast to film for an American Horror Story fanatic. You know, since the character she played WAS an American Horror Story fanatic. Her first horror role, and Cyrus had already been method-acting in preparation for a decade!
Below, Noah Cyrus talked about transitioning from the "not into acting" mindset to the "OMG, I want this job so bad" mindset that was spawned by landing the American Horror Stories audition. After I jokingly suggested she should stick with horror, Cyrus said:
I like the horror, too. You know, when I first started writing music and thinking about becoming an artist, I would get asked all the time, like, 'What about acting? Are you going to start acting?' And everybody would push me to do acting. And I was like, 'Oh, I don't know, it kind of scares me. I don't know. But if it was American Horror Story, or something like American Horror Story, then I'll do it.' That's what I've always said. So I really kept my promise; I held out, held out, held out. I kept my faith, kept my faith, kept my faith. And the opportunity to read for Connie and audition came my way, and I took it. And for days after I was like, 'Oh, I'm probably not going to get the part. I'm probably not going to get the part.' Then I went out to lunch with my manager, and he told me that I had gotten the part, and I honestly cried right there in the middle of the restaurant. I'm a huge crier. So yeah, it's really just been a super surreal moment.
Understandably, considering how long Noah Cyrus has been down to clown with Twisty and all of American Horror Story's other monsters, she wasn't celebrating her Stories success by her lonesome. Indeed, she's shared excited responses with family members, old friends, new friends, AHS stars and more. She spoke more on that below while also reflecting on how her fandom has served as an inspiration for her career even before she actually joined it.
I've followed and been a fan of the show for so long. And also like, since I was 13, 14, 15 - since we've had Instagram - I've followed so many fan accounts of the show and have become friends with so many of [the actors] through social media. Just always commenting on each other's stuff and sending love to each other, and talking to them after being in the show. Getting messages of like, 'Oh my God, I remember when we were we were DMing about Asylum or the Coven season finale. Like, I can't believe I'm now...' It was just such full-circle moments for me, and for all of us. It was so cool to be able to experience that. . . . Everybody that knows me or has followed me or supported me and my music, and as a fan of me and my family, everybody who's really close to me knows how much I adore this show. And I've had friends text me that I've known since I was a kid, like, 'Oh my God, I remember when you would not shut up about this show.' I was completely all in it, and it really did inspire me, and it still does. My music and a lot of the things that I'm into, I think that all really has been inspired from the show.
While it didn't seem like Noah Cyrus had also landed a role in American Horror Story: Double Feature as a follow-up to American Horror Stories' finale, I'd dare not have any assumptions about the matter, since they could easily be proven wrong. Fans will just have to find out for themselves, while also awaiting news about Cyrus' next acting roles, since those updates will hopefully be coming fast and furious soon. (Much like Dylan did in the episode, amirite?)
American Horror Story: Double Feature premieres on FX on Wednesday, August 25 (timely), at 10:00 p.m. ET, with a two-episode debut. Be sure to check out all the other 2021 Fall TV shows popping up soon as well!
