<P> In October 2015, Murphy tweeted that he had asked Hotel star Lady Gaga to join the untitled season, but did not expect an answer anytime soon . She later confirmed her involvement in March 2016 . Coven star Emma Roberts has stated that she and Murphy have talked about a "devilish" role for her in the season . Murder House and Coven star Taissa Farmiga was heavily rumored to be involved with the season in some form . Murphy later confirmed Farmiga would appear late in the season . In February 2016, Angela Bassett confirmed her return to the series during an interview on Larry King Now, being the first cast member added to the season 6 roster . She portrays Lee Harris, a re-enactor of the documentary's horrific events . At PaleyFest, Murphy invited Kathy Bates, Denis O'Hare, Sarah Paulson, Finn Wittrock, Cheyenne Jackson, Wes Bentley, and Matt Bomer to return to the show for its sixth season . In May 2016, Jessica Lange stated, in an interview with Charlie Rose, that she would not be returning for the sixth or any other future season of the series; saying, "No, I had four years with that, four seasons, and each year was a marvelous character, everything changed from one year to another which made it very interesting to me . But no, I think sometimes you come to the end of something ..." However, Variety published an article in September 2016, reporting Lange would appear . </P> <P> In June 2016, Coven alum Leslie Jordan announced his return to the series, stating he had been approached to appear in Freak Show, but declined . He was surprised to get a call from Murphy again . Later in the month, Bomer, Jackson, and Evan Peters confirmed their involvement with the sixth season . O'Hare stated he would return in some capacity in a May 2016 interview . Us Weekly has reported the returns of Bentley, Bates, and Wittrock . In an early August 2016 interview with Glamour, series veteran Sarah Paulson announced her return for the sixth year . She said of the show, "I just think I have the greatest job on the planet because my TV show (American Horror Story) is going into its sixth season and I'm playing an entirely different character, like nothing I've ever played ." She plays the featured re-enactor in the horrific documentary . On Halloween 2016, Murphy announced the return of Paulson's Asylum character, Lana Winters . TMZ reported the casting of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story star Cuba Gooding Jr . Gooding Jr. himself later went on to confirm his presence in the season, also announcing that he will share most screen - time with former co-star Paulson, stating, "It's really been a treat to finally engage with her on camera, because when we did The People v. O.J. it was more about my scenes and then her scenes and us being in the courtroom but separate, but we're not separate no more!" He plays the co-lead of the My Roanoke Nightmare documentary . In September 2016, Glee alum Jacob Artist announced his involvement with the sixth season . On the same month, the main casting was announced after the first episode with the addition of André Holland and series veteran Lily Rabe portraying the real - life couple, Matt Miller (Lee's brother) and his wife Shelby from the documentary's interviews . Adina Porter, after a small guest appearance on an episode of the first series, portrayed the real Lee Harris . </P> <P> In March 2016, the series received a major tax credit for filming of the season in Los Angeles, California . Cast alum Angela Bassett, along with Jennifer Lynch, Marita Grabiak, Gwyneth Horder - Payton, Elodie Keene, and Alexis Korycinski were set as directors during the season, marking the first time women have served in the capacity on the show . In June 2016, cast member Jackson stated that the season had already clandestinely begun principal photography earlier that month . On August 1, 2016, TMZ published photographs of the American Horror Story set in Santa Clarita, California; that consists of a small Pioneer home, and a tree with the word "Croatoan" carved into its center . Both of these things are attributed to the 1590 colony of 117 people, in Roanoke, North Carolina, that disappeared without a trace, and the only clue left was the carving--the name being a nearby island and tribe of Native Americans . Later, TMZ unveiled more set photos from an unknown California forest . </P> <P> The marketing campaign for the season was one of mystery . On June 6, 2016, all of the series' social media pages displayed a teaser image of a red number six, with a question mark superimposed . Little was known about plot details or casting before the premiere, which seems to be a deliberate ploy of publicity . The following months saw a virtual reality experience at the 2016 San Diego Comic - Con International, a multitude of motley teaser trailers and posters, a Mercedes - Benz sweepstakes; and no casting or plot announcements . At the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, on August 9, 2016, FX chief John Landgraf announced that all, but one, of the teaser trailers released thus far have been deliberate misdirects by the network . Explaining, "(Murphy and Stephanie Gibbons, FX head of marketing and on - air promotions) went out and made many more trailers than you've actually seen for hypothetical seasons of American Horror Story, meaning different genres and different places". Landgraf also reiterated what had been previously reported, that the official theme of the cycle will not be revealed until the airing of the first episode . </P>

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