Season 4 of "American Horror Story" is almost here! The FX horror show returns Oct. 8 subtitled "Freak Show" and centers around the year 1952 when a group of circus "freaks" arrive to Jupiter, Fla.
"A troupe of curiosities has just arrived to town, coinciding with the strange emergence of a dark entity that savagely threatens the lives of townsfolk and freaks alike," an official description reads. "This is the story of the performers and their desperate journey of survival amidst the dying world of the American carny experience."
"Freak Show" member Sarah Paulson landed the role on conjoined twins Dot and Bette and recently dished to Entertainment Weekly about her character. Dot and Bette may look sweet and innocent in the above photo (at least one of them does) but they have a dark and twisted past, show creator Ryan Murphy teased.
"Bette and Dot might be responsible for some dark things. When they're discovered, Elsa in a way, even though it may not appear to be that in the beginning kind of saves them from what may befall them because of their dark deeds," he told Entertainment Weekly. "Elsa at least in the beginning seems to be offering them an alternative to what would have happened if they were left where they were found."
Even though the two have done some unspeakable horrors, Paulson said their personalities are completely different from one another.
"It's not as simple as nice and evil. It's more complicated in true Ryan Murphy style. One has more darkness in her but not darkness of evil - darkness of depression, of knowing that's out in the world," she explained. "The other one is more of an innocent. It's innocent and more cynical. Even though they share a body, they have different brains and different hearts. They experience everything differently from each one another."
So how will they get along with circus leader Elsa, played by Jessica Lange? Paulson said Dot's relationship with Elsa reminds her of the same connection Jude and Lana had, while Bette looks up to their leader.
"Between Bette and Elsa, Elsa represents so much glamour and so much beauty that Elsa to Bette is like the most glamorous thing she's ever seen. Bette is such an innocent. There's so much wonder in her. It's a very different kind of relationship," she said.
As far as the other "freaks" are concerned, Paulson said her character is looked at as a "jolt of energy." It was previously reported that Elsa recruits the twins to save her failing show.
"The troupe is in need of a real jolt of energy and a new attraction to make people in the town come and see it. The show is not in its heyday," Paulson said. "It's definitely on the downward spiral. I think because they all want to be employed and all of them recognize a kindred. When they see the twins, they're hopeful and excited that we're going to bring about a certain kind of change that's going to be good for the group."
