[This story contains spoilers from episode 10 of American Horror Story season 13, “The Prodigal Son.”]
Among the many characters returning to American Horror Story: 13 is Papa Legba, with Orlando Jones taking over the role originally introduced in the horror anthology series’ third season, Coven, and season eight, Apocalypse, played by Lance Reddick, who died in 2023.
Jones knew portraying the gatekeeper of the spirit world and taking over the part from his friend Reddick was no easy task. “Lance is one of one,” Jones tells The Hollywood Reporter. Still, as a superfan of the franchise — created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk — already, the veteran actor was excited for the challenge.
But this time, Papa is in an unusual position: he becomes the Coven’s ally and key source of information about Satan’s (aka Mr. Nas, played by Paul Anthony Kelly) plan, a greater demonic threat, and how they can stop him to prevent the end of the world. The plan in question: Satan plans to leave Earth once his son, revealed to be Ben (Joey Pollari), claims his throne. So the witches must find the son to stop him from accepting the role. However, Ben finds them first, as episode 10 ends with Ben arriving at the Coven’s doorstep.
Below, Jones breaks down whether Papa can be trusted, the behind-the-scenes prosthetics, makeup and hair process behind his transformation, how “magical” it is to be set with the Coven women, especially with Jessica Lange‘s return, his thoughts on the witches’ fate and more.
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The late Lance Reddick originally played Papa Legba, and he made a memorable impression in the role. How did you approach stepping into this character, and did you feel any responsibility to honor his performance while making it your own?
I mean, honor his performance? Probably not. Lance was a friend of mine, so we had a chance to talk about him doing this role at the same time I was doing Mr. Nancy at SCAD in Atlanta. I think Lance is one of one. There’s no way to for me to be Lance Reddick; he’s wonderful. But I’m also one of one. And you’re one of one. So I approach most things with that particular attitude — I’m going to bring me to it. That’s all I can bring. I don’t have the ability to bring anything else.
There was some nervousness, particularly because I hadn’t read the material in advance. I’d auditioned with Lance’s material and met with casting, and I’d gotten the role apparently, but I didn’t know anything yet. So until I read it, I didn’t quite know what to think. Then when I did, I was like, “Oh, this cannot be the same at all.” Lance was so beautifully still, and I love that so much. But this Papa is agitated from the start. I mean, first of all, y’all took Fiona Goode (Lange) from hell. What is that about? Apparently, there’s a backdoor loophole? Why is she trying to render me irrelevant? He is furious from the start! And then realizes there’s some negotiations to be done.
I think that’s primarily because he knows what’s going to happen, and he is allied to Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett). If the devil wins his bet, his gatekeeper role becomes irrelevant. So, understanding suddenly, when I received the pages, the world and where they were going with it, I was like, Oh, this is going to be so much fun. I’m going to make an actual Haitian spirit. I can’t wait!
You have a striking transformation with the makeup and hair look overall. Walk me through the process of becoming him. How long did it take to get into character? What does that transformation involve?
It’s super fun. It’s a little bit of a flashback to my MADtv days because nobody does prosthetics and the whole nine anymore. It’s about three to three-and-a-half hours for all of it, and there’s a crazy amount of pieces that you might not suspect. Aside from the face paint, contacts and teeth, there is also another layer of skin on my hands so you can weather the look on my hands with my nails. There’s also a piece under my neck, so we can age that skin too. Then comes the wig and the hat, way down as far as we can get it, almost to migraine mode is what I called it (laughs), because it looks best when it’s pulled all the way down. There’s three people putting me together. Then pants, boots and cane and of course, the last is the cape. All of that is the full regalia of Papa Legba.
The deal involving the Coven has huge consequences for them. Should fans be worried about what Papa Legba ultimately expects in return? Can the witches really trust him as an ally, or is there something in it for him, making him another antagonist?
Given the end of the world, which is the greater of the two evils? I think that Papa has already demonstrated that he has an ally in Marie, and he has an affinity for the witches. I know he does not want the devil necessarily to win because otherwise, why would he assist in the way that he’s assisting? His ask is most importantly is about his relevance. He needs that loophole closed. He needs the devil not to be in charge because that’s the same difference as the loophole being there. He’s no longer relevant. They can expect that he’s going to want something for himself, but I don’t think he’s going to want something that would be to the detriment of the witches. That’s my two cents, but Ryan might have an entirely different point of view. (Laughs.)
I’m not aware of any agenda that he’s pursuing at this time. People’s agendas obviously shift by virtue of circumstances. So, who knows what circumstances might activate him in that way. But right now, [he’s thinking]: Why is Marie out? And what you guys want requires the help of Marie. I can get you there, but here’s what you’re actually up against. Most importantly, you guys are being very lackadaisical about a situation that is imminent. So, if you could get your shit together and focus, it would really help a lot. (Laughs.) Right now, I think that’s what he’s really trying to convey to them. Like, if you’re gonna do something, then now’s the time!
Also, they’ve been through this already. They already know what the outcome is if they don’t stop him. In this iteration of the story, she’s already stopped Michael Langdon. This is just another Michael Langdon of sorts, if you think about the the danger of it, at least I think that’s how I’m reading it. But I feel like the real danger has just knocked on the door at the end of episode 10.
Do you know how this season ends? Do you get scripts for all the episodes?
I get the scripts for the episodes that I am in. I do know how this season’s going to end, but that was by function of, I think, proximity.
What can you tease about the remainder of the season?
I don’t know if I can tease anything. Also I’m a real 14-year-old fangirl. I loved Coven and Asylum, though the first one, [Murder House], is still in my heart, the specialist. I’m a little in love in terms of the fandom. So all of my hopes are about how my ships work and who I ship and what I don’t ship. So my hopes don’t make sense. I’m in the fan fiction world. I’m on A03 reading fan fiction of American Horror Story right now. I’m a crazy person.
Were you there to hear Jessica Lange’s iconic “naughty pine” line?
Girl, stop! Yes, of course! The line I wanted is “naughty pine” or “Balenciaga.” But “knotty pine” is the one. I love Jessica Lange. I completely agree with King Kong that she should have been chased through the streets of New York. He should have destroyed New York trying to get her. All of that tracks. She was so lovely and so kind to me. All of the ladies were amazing.
It was a surreal set because I’ve worked with various people, and I know Angela and Emma [Roberts], but when you say action, and everybody goes into witch mode, it just feels different. It’s kind of magical, I have to say.
A big reveal too was that Mallory (Billie Lourd) could be the next Supreme. What was your reaction to that, and could Papa really help Cordelia if that becomes the case?
It’s such an interesting triangle of three Supremes in existence at the same time while a threat. I’m just curious to see how that’s going to play itself out and which of the Supremes he might back or might be leaning towards, because Mallory as the next Supreme is interesting to me, but Fiona’s back. The original Supreme not only hasn’t gone away; we all know she’s made a deal. So I’m not sure that she’s going away. I’m not sure. I don’t know. All I know is, in the previous fan lore and fan fiction of American Horror Story, three Supremes is not supposed to be a thing. So that was what struck me about it. When I saw that, I was like, “Oh, whoa! You might be the next Supreme. Here’s an existing Supreme, and the old Supreme is here. I immediately went, “Somebody gonna die!” That was my bet. (Laughs.) But I was like, “I don’t know if that’s right. I don’t know if that’s wrong.” My initial reaction was: “Three of you and Marie, what’s gonna happen next?”
Can you clarify: How did Ben come face to face with the Coven?
I think Ben comes face to face with the Coven after the realization with his father that, one, the devil is his father, but two, that he’s not going to be able to step away from the role that his father has laid out for him. I think him showing up for the Coven, we get to see what his acceptance is or isn’t because his father has been very clear that this is the roadmap. Now I’m curious to see, along with other viewers, how that’s going to play itself out. He still seems torn between this notion of he can be good and he can somehow get around this conundrum that he’s in.
But I am aware of what’s going on, but I am not a part of that. I am not an agent on behalf of the devil.
Do you think that there is an opportunity, or would you like to explore reprising this character in another season of AHS?
Of course. Yeah, I had a wonderful time. He had a lot to say — very chatty. (Laughs.) Also, no one has heard a Haitian accent. I thought that was so odd when I was looking for famous Haitian actors; I thought, wow, there isn’t really a famous Haitian actor who speaks their native tongue. Jimmy John Lewis was the most famous actor I found — one of the stars of Heroes. So I was excited about that too; the way they approach the language is so interesting. It’s such a beautiful language. I’d love to do it. I’m a massive Ryan Murphy fan, and I would do anything Sarah Paulson is anywhere near. And if you give me Sarah, Angela Bassett, Jessica Lange, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, yeah! I don’t have any reason not to show up.
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New episodes of AHS: 13 premiere Thursdays at 9 pm ET/PT on FX and 9 pm PT on Hulu, until the finale on Thursday, Oct. 29. Read all of THR’s season coverage here, including an explainer on how all pf the seasons connect.