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American Horror Story: Why Did Jessica Lange Sign on for Season 3?

When FX renewed American Horror Story for a third season, the network touted that Jessica Lange was set to return for Round 3 as well.That makes the two-time Oscar winner, thus far, the only actor who will appear in all three seasons of Ryan Murphy's anthology series. But why did Lange decide to be the one constant in the repertory cast? Well, apparently, there's nothing Murphy could do that would make her not want to return.

Natalie Abrams
Natalie Abrams

When FX renewed American Horror Storyfor a third season, the network touted that Jessica Lange was set to return for Round 3 as well.
That makes the two-time Oscar winner, thus far, the only actor who will appear in all three seasons of Ryan Murphy's anthology series. But why did Lange decide to be the one constant in the repertory cast? Well, apparently, there's nothing Murphy could do that would make her not want to return.

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"Ryan is very collaborative, so I don't think he would suddenly pull something out of his hat that I would suddenly say, 'I absolutely don't want to be involved with this story,'" Lange said during a call with reporters Friday. "Sometimes, episode to episode, I think, 'Oh my God, what the hell are we doing? We shouldn't be doing this!' And yet, the thing that always amazes me is nothing that we do in this show, really, is not somehow founded in some reality somewhere... Unless we really sink the ship, I can't imagine that there would be something that Ryan came up with that I would not want to be involved with."

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Lange, 63, says that she has no idea what Murphy has concocted for Season 3 and that the two haven't discussed it much. "I think I will try it again depending on what the story is, who the character is and all of that, so we'll see what happens."

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Putting her trust in Murphy has paid off, with Lange scoring SAG, Golden Globe and Emmy awards for her Season 1 performance as Constance Langdon, the acid-tongued Southern belle neighbor of the Harmon family. But whether her Season 2 turn as Sister Jude, the nun once in charge of Briarcliff who finds herself as a patient next week, will garner the same accolades remains to be seen. Still, after decades in the business, Lange says that she doesn't worry what the critics think and just wants to make sure she's doing things she's never done before. "Now I feel like I have nothing to lose, so I don't mind putting myself out there in the most raw, naked, exposed way," she said. "I also am able to do that because I really feel like Ryan would protect me somehow. I feel, at this point, I can take any chance I want. I can go as far as I want because judgment doesn't matter to me anymore."Are you excited for a third round of Lange on American Horror Story? Hit the comments with your thoughts!