How American Horror Story: Double Feature's Lily Rabe Feels About Playing Twisted Mothers Of (Sometimes) Evil Kids
Spoilers below for the latest episode of American Horror Story, titled "Gaslight."
While some of the characters popping up in American Horror Story: Double Feature seem to be having a blast at any given moment, from Evan Peters' crooning playwright Austin Sommers to Leslie Grossman's dot-connecting agent Ursula. But Lily Rabe's Doris has largely been mired in various levels of misery, thanks in large part to her bloodsucking husband Harry (Finn Wittrock) and Alma (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and in smaller part due to her pregnancy. Episode 5 earned its "Gaslight" title by taking Doris over the edge of maternal discomfort, with Rabe telling CinemaBlend it was perhaps the "most painful" and "terrifying" episode she's filmed yet.
When I spoke to the American Horror Story vet ahead of the episode's airing, I brought up how her matronly characters in this franchise tend to have some pretty messed up children, going back to Murder House's Nora Montgomery. (One could even argue that Doris' breastfeeding was something of an ironic callback to the Season 1 moment when the Infantata was feeding just a little too deeply on Nora.) Here's how Lily Rabe responded to the Nora and Doris connection:
Considering how much post-partum trauma Doris deals with in Episode 5, and how her characters have dealt with their motherly roles in other seasons — I'm thinking a lot about 1984's Pamela Voorhees-esque Lavinia Richter here — I asked Lily Rabe if taking on those kinds of roles changed at all once she had children with partner Hamish Linklater. Here's how she responded:
While we didn't talk about whether a mother's love naturally extends to the point of taking a pill to become a creativity-lacking vampire, Doris was worn down enough in the episode to the point where Alma's constant suggestions likely felt like the only true next step in the process. And I mean, she threw up in bed, and on all of her designs. That's just gross. Obviously not grosser than trying to stab her far-less-evil infant out of desperation and hunger, since that takes all the cakes. And they're probably blood cakes.
As it turns out, Lily Rabe is able to separate her art from her real life, and isn't so affected by what kinds of characters she portrays, as far as troubled mothers go. But when I asked if she was more sensitive about watching those kinds of horrifying stories, she said:
Thankfully, Lily Rabe never has to worry about becoming a pale, hairless, talent-free vampire roaming the streets of Provincetown, Massachusetts. For all that she might have in common with Doris by way of looks and parental status, she's definitely overflowing in the talent department. And I cannot wait to see what she'll get to take on in the back half of the season, titled "Death Valley."
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With one installment left to go in the "Red Tide" section of American Horror Story: Double Feature, new episodes drop on FX every Wednesday night at 10:00 p.m. ET, and will be available to stream via FX on Hulu on Thursday mornings. While trying to figure out where the season is going next, check out all the new and returning shows hitting the 2021 Fall TV schedule.
Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.