Ariana Grande Joins Season 13 of AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Ariana Grande has landed another acting role. The Wicked star will appear in the forthcoming 13th season of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story, it has been confirmed. This is the latest in a growing line of acting roles for the music superstar, who is also set to appear in Focker-in-Law and an animated adaptation of Oh, the Places You'll Go. She previously worked with Ryan Murphy in his 2015 series Scream Queens. 

Grande joins a cast that also includes Tony Award winners Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange, along with Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and LESLIE GROSSMAN. The new season will debut in 2026. Take a look at the official casting announcement below.

American Horror Story is an anthology horror series from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, with each season taking place in a different location and time period. Many Broadway alums have appeared in the show since its debut in 2011, including Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Denis O'Hare, Zachary Quinto, Cheyenne Jackson, and more. 

Grande is starring as Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of Wicked, the first part of which has already been released.  For her performance in the film, she was nominated for multiple awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, will hit theaters on November 21. She has since booked roles in Focker In-Law and Jon M. Chu's animated musical Oh, the Places You'll Go. In previous interviews, she has indicated that she hopes to pursue more acting and musical theater. 

Earlier this year, Grande announced 'the eternal sunshine tour,' kicking off in June 2026 in Oakland, CA. This is her first headlining run since 2019’s Sweetener World Tour. The majority of the 2026 dates take place in North America, with other stops that include Austin, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Chicago. Her tour will conclude with five London dates in August. Take a look at the full tour lineup here.

The performer has also released a short film "brighter days ahead," released in conjunction with the album. The film is directed by Grande and Christian Breslauer, and sees an elderly Peaches (a character played by Grande) who checks into the Brighter Days clinic to revitalize her memory. 

The latest version of her hit album follows her "slightly deluxe" and "slightly deluxe and also live" editions, which featured alternate live, acoustic, and remixed versions of the tracks. eternal sunshine, her first album since 2020, was released in March of 2024 to acclaim from fans and critics. The title takes inspiration from the 2004 Jim Carrey movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

A Grammy Award-winning performer, Ariana Grande began professionally pursuing her musical career at only eight years old. Six of her studio albums have reached number one on the Billboard 200, and nine of her songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100. She previously appeared in the original Broadway cast of Jason Robert Brown's 13: The Musical and played Penny Pingleton in the 2016 NBC live telecast of Hairspray.