Jessica Lange Opens Up About Leaving ‘American Horror Story’

Since American Horror Story’s beginnings, actress Jessica Lange has been a prominent figure on the show. Since the series’ run Lange has played a few characters on the show as each season reboots with a new story. For Lange she has been at the center of each season. That said, don’t expect the actress to continue past season four because she’s slowly gearing up for her retirement.

As previously reported, Jessica Lange has not renewed her contract past season four. Lange opened up to EW in regards to leaving American Horror Story.

“It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows?

American Horror Story’s co-creator and producer Ryan Murphy has advocated for Jessica Lange from the beginning of the series. Murphy opened up to EW about what he has planned for Lange’s final season, having said that season four will not be a contemporary setting and will be shot in either Santa Fe or New Orleans. Expanding on Lange’s role, Murphy said, “She’ll have this great juicy part.”

After news broke of her departure Lange opened up to the Los Angeles Times about her decision to retire from the business after a four-decade long career:

“I am coming to the end of acting. I have a list: another stage production, maybe one or two more movies, one more season of American Horror Story, and then that is it for me. Because I think that’s enough. I want to go out with a bang, or should I say, a scare?”

Currently Jessica Lange plays a witch whose beauty is slowly fading due to aging, and chemotherapy. American Horror Story: Coven airs on Wednesday’s on FX.