Elle Chapman on Joining American Horror Story for Season 13

Elle Chapman leans out her window onto her NYC balcony wearing a black tank top and white and black polka dot skirt. She is wearing black sunglasses. — (Image credit: Shane McCauley)

Elle Chapman can't quite believe her life right now. The actress can barely sit still on our Zoom call. During our 20-minute conversation, I can't recall a moment when the smile left her face; her excitement is palpable. It's not surprising, seeing as the 27-year-old just made her television debut earlier this spring in Taylor Sheridan's latest contemporary Western drama, The Madison, and already, she is two for two, working with some of the biggest creators in the biz. The second one is Ryan Murphy, and this month, Chapman joins his beloved American Horror Story franchise for its 13th season. For a newcomer, it doesn't get much better than that.

The hype is high for the latest installment of AHS, thanks to the return of familiar favorites—like Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Emma Roberts—and the debut of notable new faces, including Chapman, Alex Consani, and Madelaine Petsch. While most plot points of the season are still heavily guarded under lock and key, episode 5 ("Date Night") gave us our first proper introduction to Chapman as Ashley, a survivor of the plane crash from episode 1. Ashley is looking to reconnect with Ben (Joey Pollari), her friend's boyfriend and a fellow survivor of the plane crash, but as the night goes on, the two must face their traumatic pasts and unsettling history with the number 13.

You'll have to continue watching to see what's in store for Ashley and Ben (spoiler alert: it doesn't look great), but to hold you over until then, we caught up with Chapman to talk about her AHS icons, finding a new lifelong friend in Pollari, and the unexpected project she is writing.

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Black and white portrait of Elle Chapman sitting in a chair wearing a black top and skirt.

American Horror Story is an iconic franchise in its 13th season. What is your personal history with AHS?

Funny enough, I never watched the show, but my sister is a huge AHS fan. Growing up, I would always walk into her room, and she'd be watching Freak Show or Coven or something, and I'd be like one of those TV dads standing in the way watching, and then something really scary would happen, and I would run out. To find myself inside an episode and inside this franchise is so weird and surreal. But actually, since filming the show, I looked at myself and said, "You're in your 20s. You can now survive watching a scary show." So I've now watched Coven, Murder House, and Apocalypse, and I've fallen in love with the show.

After your recent AHS deep dive, do you now have a favorite season or character?

All of them are so good for different reasons. I think there's so much magic to season 1. Murder House is like the first foray into this universe. I think Jessica Lange in that show is just beyond. But I think my all-time favorite is Coven, and then my favorite character would have to be Misty Day because I love Fleetwood Mac.

What did it mean to you to be part of the 13th season of AHS?

I feel so lucky because I haven't been doing TV for long, and I've already gotten to work with two of … the biggest creators. I will do anything Ryan asks me to do. I had so much joy working on this show. I met one of my best friends for the rest of my life, Joey Pollari. He plays Ben, and we've become so close. I literally told him yesterday, "If I ever get married, you will be at my wedding." He will be in my bridal party. He's just the most incredible human. The whole crew and cast, everyone has been so supportive to somebody that's just stepping into the TV world, and I could not be more grateful for all the opportunities they've afforded me and all the support they've shown me.

Were you starstruck seeing anyone on set?

I'm always starstruck around Jessica Lange. She's just so talented and so unique. There's not another Jessica Lange, and there's this childlike wonder to some of her [work] and these sweet little chuckles that you wouldn't expect. I really admire her. I ended up watching Frances recently, and I was blown away by her performance in that. And Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman. Sarah Paulson is so talented. I loved her in Asylum. Both of them can do no wrong in my eyes. Ryan really has a love for women and an eye for women, and he allows them to do so much. I just feel so lucky to now be invited into this world and given these opportunities.

Elle Chapman stands with one foot against the white wall behind her. She is wearing a black tank top and white, knee-length skirt with black polka dots.

How was the character Ashley presented to you?

Funny enough, I was in New York for The Madison premiere, and my costar Patrick [J.] Adams is really close with Eric Souliere, one of the casting directors [of AHS]. They were having dinner with a big group of people, and Patrick was like, "Do you want to come meet us?" It was super late, but I was like, "It's New York." I was wearing an "I Heart NY" shirt and a giant fur coat. I showed up to this dinner, and Eric was there. I didn't know he was a casting director. He wasn't really familiar with my work. I don't know if it had to do with the fact that I came in there so confident with this insane coat on, but he saw me and was like, "I feel like she could play Ashley," which we discover in episode 5 that she's a very bold, confident character. She's a victim, but she doesn't see herself as that. She sees herself as a survivor.

He called me in for an audition. … Two weeks later, I was in Texas at a rodeo for Taylor Sheridan. I was performing at this rodeo, and I got a call saying, "You have to come to New York in two days because you booked American Horror Story." And all they told me was, "Your character is a little bit in episode 1. You think she dies in a plane crash, and then you find out [in] episode 5 that she survived, and episode 5 is a bottle episode with just you and one other kid." That's all I heard. I didn't get the script for episode 5 before signing on. I felt very confident that what I was joining was going to be something amazing, and it has been an amazing experience. The most fun part was calling my sister. She doesn't know any other show that I've ever told her I'm auditioning for. She doesn't give a crap. As soon as I told her that I'm doing American Horror Story, she freaked out.

I heard working on this show was a very collaborative experience for you. What did you bring to the team in terms of Ashley and building out that character?

Joey and I have really talked about this a lot because episode 5 means so much to both of us. I think the reason for that is because we met on this show, and now, we've become such good friends. When we were filming episode 5, it was really the foundation of our friendship, so I think what both of us brought to that whole episode is that we had a natural connection, and we were getting to know each other just as our characters were getting to know each other. So underneath the intimacy that's building in the show, Joey and I were building our own intimacy. We had Jesse Peretz directing us, and he's done Girls. He worked on Love Story, so he really understands relationships and comedy. I feel like the way that he directed allowed us to seamlessly blend that, even when talking about such a heavy topic as a plane crash and mine and Ben's pasts. So it was still able to be this emotionally intimate episode but still had elements of humor that we could bring in from our own connection with each other.

Being directed by Ryan for episode 1, I couldn't believe it. I just feel so supported and loved by this world and the whole crew. The special-effects team, everyone helped me build this character and supported me. I really cannot speak higher for this whole production on TV.

Thirteen is a cursed number for Ashley and Ben. Are you superstitious in real life? If so, what about?

Oh my god, I just thought of the office quote: "I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." I don't know if I'm superstitious. Honestly, what I really relate to with Ashley is that I, as anyone, have gone through things in my life. I lost my dad at a young age. I've dealt with other traumas in my life, and I never have thought of myself as a victim or that I'm unlucky. I've always felt super lucky. I always feel like things will work out or like, "This negative thing happened to me, but that just means that something super positive is about to happen." So I don't know if I'm superstitious, but I do share her feeling of being lucky and having gratitude.

Did AHS allow you to flex certain acting muscles that you were really excited about?

What was such a blessing with this show is that my only other foray into TV was The Madison with Taylor Sheridan, and I could gush about The Madison team forever. But what was really exciting about this is that it's a completely different genre. It's a completely different world and audience. And Ryan, just like Taylor, they're both at the top of their game. They know their audiences so well. They have these really established worlds, and it was just such a treat to be able to flex how I would be in a completely new genre. The Madison is a drama. It feels very grounded in reality, and my character is completely different from Ashley. I think Paige is always looking for somebody to tell her what to do or how to move because she has limited life experience, versus Ashley has a ton of life experience. And in episode 5, you see that she's really trying to guide [Ben] and be like, "If you ever need to talk about this, just know that I'm here."

Also, there are a lot of funny moments, like when Joey and I were shooting the one scene where I'm supposed to throw a mushroom at him. We struggled so much to get through that scene because I kept hitting him in the face with that mushroom. We just couldn't stop laughing. There's a lot with Ashley. You get to be intimate. You get to be funny. You get to grieve. There are a lot of places to go.

What, if anything, can you say about what's in store for Ashley and Ben?

I don't think I can tease anything, or the pig man is gonna come kill me. That's what it feels like. I will tell you [that] when we filmed that, I was so scared because they do such a good job in special effects that I was so terrified of that mask. I don't even know if I was acting. When Jesse Peretz was like, "Okay, now you're gonna run for your life," I was like, "Oh yeah, I got it."

The Madison is returning for a second season. What can you tell us about that, and what's in store for Paige?

First, I'll say I love The Madison so much. That was my first foray into TV, and I could not have asked for a better start. I mean, working with Michelle [Pfeiffer], working with Patrick J. Adams, Kurt [Russell]. I love Kurt. He's so funny. I'm so excited for season 2 to be released. I think that audiences will really appreciate having more time to spend with these characters because obviously six episodes isn't a lot. So to be able to see who they are and also see maybe some of their development… That's all I'll say. We actually go back for season 3 at the start of 2027. I'm really excited for that too.

You have so many projects in the works. What are you most looking forward to?

I just signed with an agency, so I'm really excited to work with them and see what projects [come my way]. I am also really interested in directing, and I write. So I've been working on a feature with a dear friend of mine, Matt Linton, and we're gonna try to finish that. And then I have a medieval mockumentary that I also have been writing. I love comedy. I grew up on Monty Python. So I really want to dip my toes more into the directing and writing worlds. Also, I would love to do a movie in the meantime before I go back to The Madison. If Ryan Murphy ever asked me to do anything again, I would say yes in a heartbeat. Obviously, Taylor, I'm so loyal to him, and I'm so grateful for The Madison. They both know if they call, I would answer.

American Horror Story: 13 is now streaming on Hulu.

Photographer: Shane McCauley
Stylist: Kirsty Stewart
Styling Assistant: Alyx Cohen
Hairstylist: Ricky Fraser
Makeup Artist: Jen Tioseco

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Jessica Baker has 16 years of experience in the digital editorial fashion and entertainment space. She is currently the Executive Director, Entertainment at Who What Wear where she ideates, books, writes, and edits celebrity and entertainment features.