'American Horror Story': Ryan Murphy on Dylan McDermott's return and the upcoming episode in which 'half the cast dies' -- EXCLUSIVE
DEC 13 2012
[SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LATEST AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM]
FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum aired its last episode until the new year on Wednesday and certainly made it a doozy for viewers. We got our first real scene with Dylan McDermott who is not only Bloody Face but also the son of Dr. Thredson (Zachary Quinto). Lana (Sarah Paulson) revealed that she was preggers with Thredson’s child which seems to mean that she’s then McDermott’s character’s mother. Meanwhile, Kit (Evan Peters) and the Monsignor (Joseph Fiennes) both appeared to be on the brink of death by the end of the episode. Plus, Pepper (Naomi Grossman) got really smart! With so much to discuss, EW talked to co-creator Ryan Murphy about this episode and the next installment in which Murphy says, “half the cast dies.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The opening scene is so genius because not only does it pay homage to Dylan’s character on the first season, therapist Ben Harmon, but then also features Brooke Smith from The Silence of the Lambs. I’m assuming that was all planned?
RYAN MURPHY: Well, it was actually a strangely odd happy accident. We wrote that one scene and we had not yet cast Dylan. Dylan and I had been talking and he wanted to come back and I wanted him to come back. I said, “Well, I don’t want you to be the Dylan McDermott white collar guy.” So as soon as we wrote this scene, I said, “Couldn’t Dylan play this part? Does he look enough like Zach and Sarah?” And we all held up pictures in the writer’s room. We wrote one scene and I offered it to him so that was a happy accident. And then Brooke Smith just auditioned and that was a happy accident. I do think it came together in a weird tribute to many things but that was all by accident.
RYAN MURPHY: Well, it was actually a strangely odd happy accident. We wrote that one scene and we had not yet cast Dylan. Dylan and I had been talking and he wanted to come back and I wanted him to come back. I said, “Well, I don’t want you to be the Dylan McDermott white collar guy.” So as soon as we wrote this scene, I said, “Couldn’t Dylan play this part? Does he look enough like Zach and Sarah?” And we all held up pictures in the writer’s room. We wrote one scene and I offered it to him so that was a happy accident. And then Brooke Smith just auditioned and that was a happy accident. I do think it came together in a weird tribute to many things but that was all by accident.
Is that Teresa (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) being killed in the flashback?
Yes. Teresa bit the dust.
I liked this episode because there were scares but real humor with Lily Rabe and Ian McShane.
I love what Lily has done this season because I think she gets the dark comedy of it. She’s not afraid of it. She’s not playing a possessed person in movies or television I’ve ever seen. I think the devil delights in what the devil does.
Yes. Teresa bit the dust.
I liked this episode because there were scares but real humor with Lily Rabe and Ian McShane.
I love what Lily has done this season because I think she gets the dark comedy of it. She’s not afraid of it. She’s not playing a possessed person in movies or television I’ve ever seen. I think the devil delights in what the devil does.
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Ian just loves that weird f—ing psychopath. He loved it the moment he read that opening scene and went for it. I love that baptism with Joe Fiennes. And I love that last image with what Ian has done to Joe Fiennes. We don’t go back to Ian in person but toward the end of the season you find out what he did after he escaped. Well, he did something very naughty which we talk about in a very funny way.
So I’m assuming when you come back in January, we’ll find out if Monsignor accepted the Angel of Death’s kiss?
Yes, you do find that back. The funny thing about coming back in episode 10 of 13, half the cast dies in episode 10. So when the script came out, everyone was like, “What?! I die now?” So I had to make a lot of calls. Episode 10 is very good, dramatic…all the cliff hangers are answered and there’s some really juicy stuff because half the cast dies.
Yes, you do find that back. The funny thing about coming back in episode 10 of 13, half the cast dies in episode 10. So when the script came out, everyone was like, “What?! I die now?” So I had to make a lot of calls. Episode 10 is very good, dramatic…all the cliff hangers are answered and there’s some really juicy stuff because half the cast dies.
So, Lana attempts to abort her baby with the coat hanger. But it seems like it’s still alive based on Sister Mary Eunice. Did the devil keep the baby alive?
No. That’s answered in a future episode. I think the devil knows everything but also likes to f— with you. One of the interesting things of the show this year is it’s very interested in social issues. Again, the melding of science and religion and at that time in the country abortion was illegal. The Drano margarita is a real thing that women actually took. The coat hanger abortion many women did it that way and many women died and some of the attempts were not successful. So it’s something we answer in upcoming episodes.
No. That’s answered in a future episode. I think the devil knows everything but also likes to f— with you. One of the interesting things of the show this year is it’s very interested in social issues. Again, the melding of science and religion and at that time in the country abortion was illegal. The Drano margarita is a real thing that women actually took. The coat hanger abortion many women did it that way and many women died and some of the attempts were not successful. So it’s something we answer in upcoming episodes.
We saw the return of Pepper and now she’s…very intelligent.
That’s right! It’s one of the things we were talking about when we were researching all these insane alien abduction stories. Many people who claim that that happened claim that they were returned with either additional skills, some weird sort of enlightened creativity or heightened intelligence. So that’s sort of the idea with Pepper. She started off as a pinhead and came back as Gandhi. Also, Pepper, let’s be clear, is pure comic delight and we cast an actress at the very beginning who could play both those things. Pepper has a very long monologue in episode 10 where she talks about the plight of the physically impaired in our culture and how many were framed for crimes, which is true and many were locked away. People like that were just thrown into institutions at that time. It would have been hilarious and fine if Pepper came back and did her gobbledygook but I wanted her to have a say and a voice. And the whole thing is so strange that I think many people will say, “Wait, is this a dream?” And I think that’s an interesting theory.
That’s right! It’s one of the things we were talking about when we were researching all these insane alien abduction stories. Many people who claim that that happened claim that they were returned with either additional skills, some weird sort of enlightened creativity or heightened intelligence. So that’s sort of the idea with Pepper. She started off as a pinhead and came back as Gandhi. Also, Pepper, let’s be clear, is pure comic delight and we cast an actress at the very beginning who could play both those things. Pepper has a very long monologue in episode 10 where she talks about the plight of the physically impaired in our culture and how many were framed for crimes, which is true and many were locked away. People like that were just thrown into institutions at that time. It would have been hilarious and fine if Pepper came back and did her gobbledygook but I wanted her to have a say and a voice. And the whole thing is so strange that I think many people will say, “Wait, is this a dream?” And I think that’s an interesting theory.
You won’t say if it is or not?
No.
No.
Grace or someone who looked like Grace came back. Will we see her give birth?
Yes, you will see that.
Yes, you will see that.
Is that an alien baby?
Well, that’s in episode 10. No, I’ll just say it right now that it’s not an alien baby. I think that’s too Alien. What I was interested in was the idea of eugenics. That’s another crazy f—ing thing when you research these people who were abducted in the ’50s and ’60s. Some of the women who say they were pregnant claim that they came back and their pregnancy had been moved along a couple months as if they were in some weird time continuum.
Well, that’s in episode 10. No, I’ll just say it right now that it’s not an alien baby. I think that’s too Alien. What I was interested in was the idea of eugenics. That’s another crazy f—ing thing when you research these people who were abducted in the ’50s and ’60s. Some of the women who say they were pregnant claim that they came back and their pregnancy had been moved along a couple months as if they were in some weird time continuum.
I love how in the final moments Lana and Jude form a new alliance, like the two unfairly imprisoned ladies.
Yeah, that’s interesting. It’s also something that the Kit character and the Lana character have to deal with as we reach the end which is, How do you recover from that? And the only way you really do is to imbue some sort of forgiveness. Do they forgive Jude or not?
Yeah, that’s interesting. It’s also something that the Kit character and the Lana character have to deal with as we reach the end which is, How do you recover from that? And the only way you really do is to imbue some sort of forgiveness. Do they forgive Jude or not?
What is episode 10, airing on Jan. 2, called?
Episode 10 is called “The Name Game.” We move forward into 1965. There’s a great musical number in it that goes on for like two and a half minutes that I love. There was a 1950s Shirley Ellis hit called “The Name Game” so Jessica Lange does that song with all the insane people. I just started editing it — it’s not to be believed with Jessica out of her mind and dressed up like Dusty Springfield. And I would say a large number of these characters die and have their story lines resolved in episode 10 as we move toward the conclusion. So it’s a really big, dramatic, fun, juicy episode that is also full of many surprises. There’s the musical number, there’s the Pepper explanation. All the cliffhanger questions are answered. It’s really good. It’s really fun.
Episode 10 is called “The Name Game.” We move forward into 1965. There’s a great musical number in it that goes on for like two and a half minutes that I love. There was a 1950s Shirley Ellis hit called “The Name Game” so Jessica Lange does that song with all the insane people. I just started editing it — it’s not to be believed with Jessica out of her mind and dressed up like Dusty Springfield. And I would say a large number of these characters die and have their story lines resolved in episode 10 as we move toward the conclusion. So it’s a really big, dramatic, fun, juicy episode that is also full of many surprises. There’s the musical number, there’s the Pepper explanation. All the cliffhanger questions are answered. It’s really good. It’s really fun.
'American Horror Story': Dylan McDermott talks his 'Asylum' debut and playing Bloody Face -- EXCLUSIVE
DEC 13 2012
[SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LATEST AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM]
Ryan Murphy promised the actors of American Horror Story that if they returned for season 2, they would be playing completely different roles. That was certainly the case for Dylan McDermott who made his debut on AHS: Asylum last night as deranged serial killer Johnny Thredson, aka Bloody Face, a stark change from his role as sex-addicted therapist Ben Harmon last season. EW talked EXCLUSIVELY to McDermott about the shocking role and what’s in store ahead.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did this all work out?
DYLAN MCDERMOTT: I loved doing the show. It’s like being home for me. We talked about it I think early in the season. He [EP Ryan Murphy] called me over the summer and we were trying to figure out what was the best plan and in what capacity. I wasn’t sure myself and obviously he’s the master and the genius that figures this s— out. So the day the show premiered he called me and he explained it to me because I hadn’t read any of the scripts. He explained to me what my character was going to be and I was like, “Are you f—ing kidding me? I love this! I love this! It’s beyond!” To play the modern day Bloody Face and to have this whole back story of a guy who’s thrown away and aborted and still lived! It was just like, are you kidding me? It was music to my ears, maybe nobody else’s. But to me? I couldn’t believe it. It’s so twisted and dark and f—ed up. That’s why I’m on the show because I love stuff like that.
Did he tell you that you’d have to wear that mask?
Yeah, he broke it down. I knew exactly what I was getting into. With Ryan, he tells you what you’re getting into. It’s not like you don’t read it on the page that you’re crying and jerking off at the same time. I know what I’m getting into here!
DYLAN MCDERMOTT: I loved doing the show. It’s like being home for me. We talked about it I think early in the season. He [EP Ryan Murphy] called me over the summer and we were trying to figure out what was the best plan and in what capacity. I wasn’t sure myself and obviously he’s the master and the genius that figures this s— out. So the day the show premiered he called me and he explained it to me because I hadn’t read any of the scripts. He explained to me what my character was going to be and I was like, “Are you f—ing kidding me? I love this! I love this! It’s beyond!” To play the modern day Bloody Face and to have this whole back story of a guy who’s thrown away and aborted and still lived! It was just like, are you kidding me? It was music to my ears, maybe nobody else’s. But to me? I couldn’t believe it. It’s so twisted and dark and f—ed up. That’s why I’m on the show because I love stuff like that.
Did he tell you that you’d have to wear that mask?
Yeah, he broke it down. I knew exactly what I was getting into. With Ryan, he tells you what you’re getting into. It’s not like you don’t read it on the page that you’re crying and jerking off at the same time. I know what I’m getting into here!
I loved the opening sequence with all the homages.
I know there’s so many twists, obviously, with me being a therapist last year.
I know there’s so many twists, obviously, with me being a therapist last year.
Are there a lot of tips of the hat to last year coming up?
Yeah, I tried to do that a couple of times. I don’t know if it will get into the show. But I did try and tip a little bit in a couple episodes just to sort of echo to the first season a little bit. Maybe three people will know that but I love that kind of thing.
Yeah, I tried to do that a couple of times. I don’t know if it will get into the show. But I did try and tip a little bit in a couple episodes just to sort of echo to the first season a little bit. Maybe three people will know that but I love that kind of thing.
Has it been tough playing such a creepy, disturbed guy?
He is. I think in the episodes that are following you’ll get a little more sympathy for him and you’ll understand him more than in the first episode. I think after that he softens up a little bit. You kind of see the torture a little more and are a little more sympathetic to him.
He is. I think in the episodes that are following you’ll get a little more sympathy for him and you’ll understand him more than in the first episode. I think after that he softens up a little bit. You kind of see the torture a little more and are a little more sympathetic to him.
What’s more uncomfortable — Bloody Face’s mask or the Rubber Man suit?
Wow. I enjoyed the Rubber Man suit. It still hangs in my closet. I break it out every once in a while. The Bloody mask…you have the hair which kinda gets in your mouth and gets uncomfortable at times. It’s gruesome. It’s a gruesome, gruesome character. There’s no way of softening that. But like all of Ryan’s shows, there’s a reason for it. We uncover what those reasons are as we go.
Wow. I enjoyed the Rubber Man suit. It still hangs in my closet. I break it out every once in a while. The Bloody mask…you have the hair which kinda gets in your mouth and gets uncomfortable at times. It’s gruesome. It’s a gruesome, gruesome character. There’s no way of softening that. But like all of Ryan’s shows, there’s a reason for it. We uncover what those reasons are as we go.
Have you been able to see any of your old AHS cast members, like Evan Peters or Sarah Paulson, since you’re in the modern storyline?
Yeah, Sarah I’m going to see in this episode coming up. Zach, I did a scene with him. So yeah there will be sprinkles of it.
Yeah, Sarah I’m going to see in this episode coming up. Zach, I did a scene with him. So yeah there will be sprinkles of it.
Were you surprised by fan reaction that you were returning?
It’s been amazing. We kind of live in a bubble. That’s what’s great about things like Twitter. Your fans come out and really support you. It’s amazing how people are genuinely excited for me to return tonight. I’ve never expected this in a million years.
It’s been amazing. We kind of live in a bubble. That’s what’s great about things like Twitter. Your fans come out and really support you. It’s amazing how people are genuinely excited for me to return tonight. I’ve never expected this in a million years.
Would you do a season 3?
Of course. I’m a fan of the show. I have a great time making this show. Whatever Ryan wants me to show, I mean I completely trust this guy. If there’s a part for me, then I’m there.
Of course. I’m a fan of the show. I have a great time making this show. Whatever Ryan wants me to show, I mean I completely trust this guy. If there’s a part for me, then I’m there.
Did you watch Saturday Night Live this weekend? They did a very funny skit about a game show about you and Dermot Mulroney.
Oh God. Of course. They asked me to go but I was working on American Horror. If we were both there? The TV would have blown up! I thought it was hilarious. It was so funny.
Oh God. Of course. They asked me to go but I was working on American Horror. If we were both there? The TV would have blown up! I thought it was hilarious. It was so funny.
So what’s next for you after AHS: Asylum finishes?
I have a movie called Olympus Has Fallen with Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Aaron Eckhart, and Gerard Butler. Behaving Badly with Selena Gomez. Oh man, it’s a really s— character I play. And then I’m going into two movies now starting in January/February after I finishAmerican Horror.
I have a movie called Olympus Has Fallen with Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Aaron Eckhart, and Gerard Butler. Behaving Badly with Selena Gomez. Oh man, it’s a really s— character I play. And then I’m going into two movies now starting in January/February after I finishAmerican Horror.
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