Kim Kardashian boards American Horror Story season 12 in 'terrifying' role

Kim Kardashian West arrives for the Gala to celebrate the Vogue 100 Festival at Kensington Gardens on May 23, 2016 in London, England
Kim Kardashian (Image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty)

Kim Kardashian is making a very unique debut into scripted television. The reality TV superstar will appear in American Horror Story season 12 in a bespoke role created just for her. AHS frequent flyer Emma Roberts is also returning to the fold. 

Kardashian posted a video announcement on her Instagram account, spreading the news to her 352 million followers. The video was set to AHS-appropriate creepy music and featured a brief message that sprawled across the screen: "Emma Roberts and Kim Kardashian are delicate."

At first glance this might not mean much, but it actually packs some very interesting clues about the upcoming 12th season. "Delicate" will be the title of the new season and it refers to an upcoming book by Danielle Valentine called Delicate Condition. Due for release in August, a cover blurb from author Andrea Bartz reveals Delicate Condition is "the feminist update to Rosemary’s Baby we all needed." The story follows a woman who believes that something evil is trying to make sure she never gets pregnant.

Season 12 marks the first time that AHS will use source material as inspiration for the theme. And unlike previous seasons where a team of writers work on the story, season 12 will deviate from its norm as Halley Feiffer steps in as the sole showrunner and writer for the season.

Series co-creator Ryan Murphy, who has been friends with Kardashian for a number of years, is very excited that she's joining the franchise. "Kim is among the biggest and brightest television stars in the world and we are thrilled to welcome her to the AHS family," he told THR. "Emma and I are excited about collaborating with this true force in the culture. Halley Feiffer has written a fun, stylish and ultimately terrifying role especially for Kim, and this season is ambitious and unlike anything we have ever done."

Kardashian is of course best known for her reality TV shows, including the current Hulu series The Kardashians, with season 3 premiering on May 25 on Hulu. 

Roberts first appeared in 2013's American Horror Story: Coven, where she played a witch with an attitude. She's since starred in four other seasons of the show: Cult, Apocalypse, Freak Show and 1984.

Filming on American Horror Story: Delicate is set to begin in April. The new season will debut this summer on FX. All past seasons of American Horror Story are available to stream right now on Hulu.

Sarabeth Pollock
Editorial Content Producer

 

Sarabeth joined the What to Watch team in May 2022. An avid TV and movie fan, her perennial favorites are The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, true crime documentaries on Netflix and anything from Passionflix. You’ve Got Mail, Ocean's Eleven and Signs are movies that she can watch all day long. She's also a huge baseball fan, and hockey is a new favorite.  

When she's not working, Sarabeth hosts the My Nights Are Booked Podcast and a blog dedicated to books and interviews with authors and actors. She also published her first novel, Once Upon an Interview, in 2022.