The third season of American Horror Story took viewers to New Orleans for a dark and funny story about witches. Titled Coven, this season mixed horror with sharp humor and strong female characters. The show aired on FX from October 9, 2013 to January 29, 2014, with 13 episodes total. The season brought back familiar faces from earlier seasons and added some new ones who became fan favorites.
The story follows a group of witches at Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies. They deal with their powers, fights inside the group, and outside threats from voodoo practitioners and witch hunters. The season was a big hit, with the first episode getting 5.54 million viewers, which was the highest for the series at that time.
Main Cast of American Horror Story: Coven
Jessica Lange played Fiona Goode, the Supreme witch who holds all the powers. Fiona is the head of the coven but also selfish and scared of losing her spot. She comes to the academy after hearing a new Supreme is rising. Lange won a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in this role.
Sarah Paulson took on the role of Cordelia Foxx, Fiona’s daughter and the headmistress of the academy. Cordelia wants to protect her students but often feels like a disappointment to her mother. Paulson received an Emmy nomination for this character.
Taissa Farmiga played Zoe Benson, a young witch who discovers her power after accidentally killing her boyfriend during their first time together. Zoe gets sent to the academy where she learns to control her abilities and falls for a boy named Kyle.
Emma Roberts joined the cast as Madison Montgomery, a spoiled former child star who can move objects with her mind. Madison is mean, funny, and always looking out for herself. Roberts became known as the “scream queen” of the series.
Kathy Bates made her first appearance in American Horror Story as Delphine LaLaurie. Her character is a real person from history who tortured slaves in the 1800s. Marie Laveau gives her an immortality spell, so she stays alive for centuries. Bates won an Emmy Award for this role.
Lily Rabe returned as Misty Day, a witch who lives alone in the swamp. Misty has the power to bring people back from the dead. She loves Stevie Nicks and wants to find a place where she belongs.
Evan Peters played Kyle Spencer, a college student who dies in a bus accident. Zoe and Madison bring him back to life using body parts from his dead friends. Kyle comes back as a confused and angry creature who cannot speak properly.
Frances Conroy played Myrtle Snow, a member of the Witches’ Council with bright orange hair. Myrtle hates Fiona and believes she killed the last Supreme. Conroy received an Emmy nomination for her work.
Denis O’Hare played Spalding, the family butler who stays loyal to Fiona. He keeps a dark secret about Madison’s death and cuts out his own tongue to avoid talking.
Special Guest Stars and Recurring Characters
Angela Bassett joined as Marie Laveau, the powerful voodoo queen of New Orleans. Marie has lived for hundreds of years and holds a deep grudge against Delphine LaLaurie. Bassett earned an Emmy nomination for this role.
Gabourey Sidibe played Queenie, a witch who works as a human voodoo doll. Whatever happens to her body happens to whoever attacks her. Queenie struggles to find her place between the witches and the voodoo group.
Jamie Brewer returned as Nan, a clairvoyant witch who can hear people’s thoughts. Nan wants to be loved and gets tricked by a neighbor who uses her.
Danny Huston played the Axeman, a serial killer ghost from the 1910s. Fiona frees him and starts a relationship with him.
Lance Reddick played Papa Legba, a voodoo spirit who makes deals with Marie Laveau. He collects souls and decides who gets immortality.
Patti LuPone appeared as Joan Ramsey, a very religious mother who hates the witches next door.
Stevie Nicks played herself in two episodes. The real-life singer appears as Misty Day’s idol and performs her songs “Rhiannon” and “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You.”
Josh Hamilton played Hank Foxx, Cordelia’s husband who hides a big secret. He works as a witch hunter trying to destroy the coven.
Alexander Dreymon played Luke Ramsey, the son of Joan Ramsey who becomes friends with Nan.
Jamie Brewer, Robin Bartlett, and Alexandra Breckenridge also appeared in smaller roles throughout the season.
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What Made This Cast Special
The cast of Coven brought together actors from previous seasons and new faces. Kathy Bates and Emma Roberts joined the American Horror Story family for the first time. The season marked the first time Dylan McDermott and Zachary Quinto did not appear as main cast members.
The show received 17 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for this season. Jessica Lange won for Outstanding Lead Actress, and Kathy Bates won for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, and Frances Conroy also received nominations for their work.
Fans still talk about the fights between Fiona Goode and Marie Laveau. Many call their face-off one of the best moments in the whole series. The chemistry between all these actors made Coven one of the most popular seasons of American Horror Story.
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