Where You've Seen The Cast Of American Horror Stories Season 2 Before

Every episode of "American Horror Stories" (the spin-off of Ryan Murphy's "American Horror Story") Season 2 is an original tale filled with all the thrills and chills fans have come to expect from the franchise. While the first season did some things wrong and scored lackluster reviews as a result, it still managed to bring together a massive crew of actors old and new in a wonderful way. Season 2 is just as jam-packed, with dozens of new actors working together to give fans lifelong nightmares.

Just like the main series, there's some faces returning from the previous season along with some eyebrow-raising new guest stars added to the mix in Season 2. Every episode is bound to contain at least one actor that's ringing a distant bell in your mind, but don't worry about looking them up, because we've got you covered. Here's where you've seen the cast of "American Horror Stories" Season 2 before.

Fans of sci-fi television have gotten to know Teddy Sears fairly well over the years. He had roles in mid-2000s series like "Dollhouse" and "Torchwood: Miracle Day." More recently he's been a part of the Arrowverse on "The Flash." Sears plays the Speedster Jay Garrick in addition to a handful of other characters thanks to some multiversal shenanigans.

Even if you aren't plugged into the latest sci-fi media, chances are you're still familiar with Sears and his work. Really, anyone who's been watching TV in the past decade has probably caught one of his guest appearances. Sears can count roles on "Mad Men," "Blue Bloods," and "How to Get Away with Murder" as part of his history. He's also had larger roles on hit shows like "Masters of Sex" and "American Crime Story."

Sears isn't actually a new face in the world of "American Horror Story." He previously played Patrick in the show's very first season, and if that's too far back to recall, he also had a role on the first season of "American Horror Stories." He's set to become a veteran of the franchise.

Cody Fern is a good reminder that it's never too late to follow your dreams. Fern told Anthem Magazine that before becoming an actor he worked in finance. Though he had a steady job, he hated what he was doing and maintained a real passion for acting. Then one day, he said, "I walked out at lunch, and I just never went back." Fern went on to get his big break on the stage after being cast in a production of "War Horse" and later won the Heath Ledger Scholarship. Considering all the success he's found, it's fair to say leaving his day job was a great decision.

Though Fern has spent a considerable portion of his acting career working in the theater, there's still more than a few avid TV fans who are sure to recognize him, particularly for his work in recent years. In 2018 Fern landed roles in both "American Crime Story" and Season 6 of "House of Cards." In the same year he joined the cast of "American Horror Story," and he's returned for three additional seasons of the series. On top of that he starred in the episode "Feral" on the first season of "American Horror Stories," so by now fans should be more than familiar with him.

Some stories have explosive beginnings, and that's certainly true for Gabourey Sidibe's acting career. Sidibe was "a phone-sex operator" when she decided to pursue her acting dreams and audition for Lee Daniels's film "Precious," she told The Cut. Sidibe stunned audiences with her performance as the film's titular character, and in 2010, with only one acting credit to her name, she received an Oscar nomination for best leading actress. Since then, Sidibe has thrown herself into a wide variety of projects and most everything she touches turns to gold.

Sidibe has always been willing to explore different genres, from the drama of "Seven Psychopaths" and "Antebellum" to the comedic highs of "Tower Heist." She's also not afraid to take on long form television shows like "The Big C" and "Empire," and in 2021 she even tackled the scripted podcast, working on "If I Go Missing the Witches Did It." Sidibe joined the "American Horror Story" family back in 2013 and has since played the character Queenie across multiple seasons. Season 2 of "American Horror Stories" marks her first appearance in the anthology spin-off, which she will hopefully become a big part of in years to come.

Saying that Quvenzhané Wallis has made some impressive accomplishments for someone her age would be a massive understatement. The 18-year-old star burst onto the scene with her first film and first leading role at age 9. Wallis starred as Hushpuppy in Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and her performance led to her being the youngest best actress nominee in Academy Award history. Wallis followed up that incredible beginning with strong performances in "12 Years a Slave" and "Annie."

It's only in more recent years that Wallis has taken her acting talents to the world of television. In 2019 she played Kyra in ABC's "Black-ish," and in 2021 she starred as Crystal Jarrett in the Apple TV show "Swagger." If you're a music fan, you may also recognize her from the music video for Beyoncé's "All Night." Wallis features in the fifth episode of "American Horror Stories" Season 2, which is titled "Bloody Mary."

Britt Lower has starred in serious shows like the CBS police procedural "Unforgettable" and, more recently, the Apple TV dystopian thriller series "Severance," but she's adept at comedy, too. Many of her successes, like Hulu's "Casual" and FFX's "Man Seeking Woman," center on bizarre, off-the-wall comedy. Even her guest appearances, which range from one-offs in shows like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to recurring roles in the likes of "High Maintenance," skew toward comedy.

In the summer of 2022, Lower decided to take a brief break from filming shows to work in a circus in St. Louis. "I'm living on the circus lot and living my best daydream," she said (via Circus Flora). That's one way to keep your comedic chops sharp! Lower is on quite the career upturn, and she continued that momentum when she joined the cast of "American Horror Stories" Season 2. She is slated to appear in the ominous-sounding episode "Facelift."

Max Greenfield is yet another comedic actor who is making a foray into a relatively new genre with "American Horror Stories." Eagle-eyed viewers might remember that he had a small role in Season 5 of "American Horror Story," appearing as a heroin addict named Gabriel who overdoses at the Hotel Cortez. Less observant viewers will probably still recognize Greenfield from "Ugly Betty," "Veronica Mars," or his longtime role as Schmidt on "New Girl." His voice might also sound familiar since he's stepped into a vocal booth for shows like "Bob's Burgers," "BoJack Horseman," and "Tuca & Bertie."

Though Greenfield has spent the majority of his time as an actor as part of one television show or another, he's also been in several big screen projects. His most recent films include "The Valet" and the Oscar-winning thriller "Promising Young Woman," which goes to show that he's capable of much more than just comedy. We'll see if he can get a scream out of his audience in the "American Horror Stories" Season 2 episode "Aura."

If you're a fan of TV, then Nancy Linehan Charles has probably been on your screen at least once or twice. Looking at her filmography, it seems like Charles has had at least one guest role on every show that's ever been someone's favorite. For sitcom fans, there's "Full House" and "Seinfeld." Medical drama fanatics can catch her in "Chicago Hope" and "ER." For the crime fans, she has roles in "24" and "Criminal Minds." There's even room for comedy-drama addicts with "Six Feet Under" and "Shameless."

That list doesn't even scratch the surface of Charles' acting history. For one thing, it leaves out her current recurring role on "Young Sheldon," and for another, it doesn't get into her work on the big screen. Charles has had roles in feature films like "Bram Stoker's Dracula," "Minority Report," and "Charlie Wilson's War." She can elevate anything she's part of, regardless of the genre or even the size of her role. It's no surprise that this veteran of the industry landed a coveted place in the sophomore season of "American Horror Stories."