Kate Mara has opened up about the reason she never returned to American Horror Story, and she thinks it has something to do with the character she played.
When the first season of Ryan Murphy’s hit FX series American Horror Story debuted back in 2010, it featured cast members that would go on to become synonymous with the franchise — stars like Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, and Jessica Lange.
But one big name who never made a comeback was Kate Mara. In the first season, dubbed Murder House by fans, she played Hayden McClaine, the 22-year-old student and mistress of Ben Harmon who ended up meeting a grisly end when she threatened to expose their affair.
Mara’s had starring roles in Fox thriller 24, Netflix’s House of Cards, and the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot, so her star power certainly isn’t up for debate. Why then, hasn’t she ever returned to American Horror Story?
Kate Mara says fans “hate” her AHS character
Well, in a new interview with Collider, Mara revealed that it’s been radio silence since Murder House; she’s never been asked to come back, and she thinks it has something to do with the poor reputation of Hayden among fans of the show.
“No one invited me, I don’t know, I wasn’t invited back,” she said when asked why she hasn’t revisited the show since the first season.
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“I don’t think people loved my character very much on that show, [but] I loved playing her. Who doesn’t want to play a sex-crazed ghost? But most people hate me on that show… which I take as a compliment.”
Fans are torn over Mara’s absence from the show, with one tweeting, “Bring her back Ryan [Murphy] I swear to God,” and another confessing, “I feel bad about it, but she played the part so well I can’t even look at her without getting p*ssed off.”
In a show where the villains are often remembered as the most iconic characters, it’s surprising Mara hasn’t been asked back. Hopefully that will happen soon, especially as Mara has popped up on other Ryan Murphy shows including Pose and Nip/Tuck.
Filming is currently underway on the next season of the show, and it’s expected to arrive in 2021. We’ve rounded up everything we know about Season 10 of American Horror Story, including cast members and potential themes.