Michael Chiklis is joining ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’

Most of “American Horror Story’s” repertory company will be back for the show’s fourth season later this year, but the new season, subtitled “Freak Show” will have an interesting new face: Michael Chiklis.

The “Shield” star’s involvement in the series was announced Friday night at the closing night of the PaleyFest TV festival, which was a tribute to the recently concluded “American Horror Story: Coven.”

According to the Associated Press, Chiklis will play the ex-husband of Kathy Bates’ character, who will be back next season after making her “AHS” debut in “Coven.”

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The new season is set in Jupiter, Fla., in the 1950s, where series star Jessica Lange plays the owner of a freak show. Expect many references to Tod Browning’s hugely influential 1932 film, “Freaks.” In fact, the series has already directly referenced that film with the character Pepper, from “American Horror Story: Asylum,” who looks exactly like Zip and Pip the Pinheads from the film.

Series executive producer Ryan Murphy told the crowd that “Coven” cast members Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Jamie Brewer, Frances Conroy, Denis O’Hare, Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts and Gabourey Sidibe would all be back “in some capacity.”

Filming for the new season hasn’t started, but it will take place in New Orleans, where the third season was filmed. The city played itself in “Coven” but will stand in for Florida in the new season.

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