Jessica Lange Talks AMERICAN HORROR STORY Exit Following Season Four

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jessica Lange expanded on her reasons for leaving American Horror Story following the show's fourth season on FX. Lange has been a leading player on AHS since its first season in 2011.

"It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven't done that for a long time," she told EW. "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."

She continued: "Once it's over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time."

In an earlier interview with the Los Angeles Times, Lange confirmed that she would depart Ryan Murphy's FX horror series following next season - and that a return to the stage might be in her near future.

"I am coming to the end of acting," Lange said. "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?"

AHS creator Ryan Murphy, who is considering filming season four in New Orleans or Santa Fe, told EW that Lange will not have a lead role next season, but that "she'll have this great juicy part."

Lange made her Hollywood debut in John Guillermin's King Kong opposite Jeff Bridges and Charles Grodin, winning a Golden Globe for Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture. She then permanently put her name on the map by receiving dual Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations in the same year for her challenging performances in Frances and in Sydney Pollack's memorable comedy Tootsie starring opposite Dustin Hoffman, for which she took home the Oscar for Supporting Actress. In 1994, Lange won her first Oscar for Best Actress in Blue Sky, which she starred opposite Tommy Lee Jones.

Following her previous dynamic performances, Lange amazed audiences with projects such asCountry, which paired her with Frances co-star Sam Shepard, to tell the story of a struggling farmer and his wife. Lange's performance again earned her Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Success continued with Sweet Dreams andMusic Box, both which garnered her Academy Award nominations and an additionAl Golden Globe nom for Music Box. In 1996 Lange picked up her first Emmy nomination for the made for TV adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire in which Lange played "Blanche DuBois."

Lange continued to take diverse roles in acclaimed movies which include Martin Scorsese'sCape Fear alongside Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Juliette Lewis; Losing Isaiah opposite Halle Barry; Rob Roy with Liam Neeson; and Tim Burton's Big Fish alongside an outstanding ensemble cast including Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, and Helena Bonham Carter. Lange also appeared in Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray, in which Lange played a former flame of Murray's character.

In 2005, Jessica starred in the independent film Don't Come Knocking. The film, written and co-starring Sam Shepard, marked their first collaboration after over 15 years. In 2006, she starred alongside fellow award winning actresses Joan Allen and Kathy Bates in Bonneville. The film was written by Daniel Davis and Christopher Rowley and directed by Rowley. Next she dabbed into TV with the remake of the critically acclaimed Sybil. Lange played "Dr. Wilbur," a psychiatrist who attempts to unravel the abusive childhood which results in Sybil (Blanchard) developing a multiple personality disorder.

In 2009, Lange won an Emmy Award for her performance in HBO's Grey Gardens. She played "'Big' Edith Bouvier," the eccentric aunt of Jackie Kennedy, alongside Drew Barrymore who played her daughter "'Little' Edith Bouvier."

Following her Emmy win for Grey Gardens, Lange starred in the TV miniseries American Horror Story with Glee producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. She won a Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG Award in 2012 for her portrayal as character "Constance Langdon." Referred to as a "psycho sexual thriller," the show premiered on FX on October 5th, 2011.

Lange's most recent project is the Charlie Stratton remake of Emile Zola's erotic thriller, Therese.

Photo Credit: Matt Baron/Jim Smeal/BEImages