Ryan Murphy is making a(nother) horror series for FX. This one’s called Grotesquerie, and Travis Kelce is the latest to join the cast — and, of course, he’s been enjoying it.
The Murphy-verse is expanding
February 23, 2024: Ryan Murphy is teasing a surprise series for FX called Grotesquerie, a new horror drama coming this fall. A Murphy-verse horror project? Sounds familiar … but no, this is outside of American Horror Story’s expansive umbrella. A mysterious teaser, posted to the Instagram accounts for Ryan Murphy Productions and FX, simply displays the names of cast members Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance, and Lesley Manville — while Nash-Betts delivers an eerie voice-over.
“I don’t know what’s started. I can’t put my finger on it. But it’s different now,” she says, in what sounds like a phone call. “There’s been a shift. It’s like something’s opening up in the world. A kind of hole to the center of nothingness. What I saw today … they sent shrinks for everyone who worked this crime scene. You say, ‘Well, hon, evil has always existed,’ and cite some statistic about how the world’s getting better, less murder, more help, less global horror, never been a better time to be alive, hon. Come back. It’s not getting better. And I keep needing to hear your answers, because something’s happening around us, and nobody sees … but me,” she ominously concludes.
Nash-Betts is already a pro at fending off Murphy villains like the Red Devil and Jeffrey Dahmer, having previously worked with the prolific producer on Scream Queens and Monster, the latter of which just earned her an Emmy Award. Courtney B. Vance similarly won an Emmy for portraying Johnnie Cochran in another Murphy-helmed project, American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.
Travis Kelce scores a role
May 8, 2024: That’s right, American Sports Story isn’t Ryan Murphy’s only connection to football. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has accepted his first major acting role and joined the cast of Grotesquerie alongside previously-announced stars Niecy Nash-Betts, Courtney B. Vance, and Lesley Manville. Nash-Betts confirmed the news on May 7 by posting a video with Kelce that was presumably taken on set. “This is what happens when WINNERS link up‼️” she said in the caption. “@killatrav Welcome to Grostequerie!”
Kelce later shared the clip on his Instagram Story, writing, “Steppin into a new world with one of the legends!” While we don’t know anything about the football player’s character yet, we believe he can pull off some dramatic, horrifying faces. Remember all those devouring-his-coach memes?
Kelce’s making plays
July 10, 2024: Kelce has taken the field. Multiple Grotesquerie crew members posted recent photos with Kelce on Instagram, People noted. But Kelce seems to have been on set for months, even reflecting on the experience on his podcast, New Heights, in May. “I feel like a jabroni. I feel like an amateur. And, um, haven’t gotten fired yet, so we’re doing good,” he said on May 16. Kelce revealed he has “a big role in the show,” but said Murphy “seemed very confident” he could pull it off. On Good Morning America on June 6, Kelce added that the role was “a fun challenge” and he was “havin’ fun.” Now, we’ll have to wait to see if his performance is a touchdown later this year.
This post has been updated.
