Even though American Horror Story is often more ridiculous than scary, Ryan Murphy‘s horror anthology series still deals with heavy material, from rape and familial murders to torture and grisly resurrections. It’s enough to take any actor to a dark place, and that’s exactly what’s happened to Evan Peters.
Peters — who has acted in all eight seasons of the FX series (and also plays in Murphy’s ’80s era NYC ballroom drama, Pose) — recently told an interviewer that he has decided to “sit a season out” because the show is taking a negative toll on his mental health.
Peters has said:
“[Being in the show] has been all a massive stretch for me and really difficult to do. It’s hurting my soul and Evan as a person. There’s this massive amount of rage that’s been called upon from me, and the emotional stuff that’s been called on me for Pose has been heartbreaking, and I’m sick. I don’t feel good.”
“It’s just exhausting. It’s really mentally draining, and you don’t want to go to those places ever in your life. And so you have to go there for the scenes, and it ends up integrating it somehow into your life. You’re in traffic and you find yourself screaming and you’re like, What the hell? This isn’t who I am. I fight really hard to combat that and make sure that I’m watching comedies and hanging out with my fiancée [actress Emma Roberts] and chilling with friends and watching movies.”
This makes sense, especially as Peters often plays angry, traumatized and persecuted roles in the show. In order of each season, he has played a school shooter, a wrongly imprisoned father, a resurrected frat boy, a member of a murderous freak show, a psychopathic architect, a haunted aristocrat, a violent cult leader and the survivor of a nuclear apocalypse.
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Related: Evan Peters let it all hang out while filming “American Horror Story”
He has also played a few gay roles in the show including that of Edward Philipe Mott in season six (Roanoke), a wealthy man who was sleeping with his man-slave Guinness, and Mr. Gallant in season eight (Apocalypse), a hairstylist forced to endure harsh living in a survivor outpost.
DCguy
In other words, he got another X-Man movie and didn’t have time.
theafricanwiththemouth
That’s a Lame comment tbh…
He’s been doing AHS back to back and in between those shows, has also done X-men movies… But he didn’t take a break then. So how does taking a break now have anything to do with him getting another X-men movie. He’s been juggling both for over 8+ years of AHS now, but you choose not to see the possible truth in his claims of needing a break from a show he’s been dedicated to for 8 years because of his mental health. Oh no, you just want to be “the witty commenter” (= a dick).
Vince
I agree. If I was Murphy I’d give him a permanent break. I never really thought he added much to it anyways.
DCguy
@theafricanwiththemouth
Really? More “Lame” than saying you basically can’t handle acting as a character for a few weeks out of a year? Ok Drama Queen. And by the way, he had ONE major role in X-Men so far, so claiming he’s been “doing it” for 8 years….well, that just isn’t true is it?
theafricanwiththemouth
Uhmmm, NO! … You obviously don’t know what you’re saying. He has played two major roles in X-men as quicksilver in both “days of future past”, and “apocalypse”. Also another main role in the upcoming “dark phoenix”.. so that even makes it three. This shows that you’re quite oblivious to his works outside AHS.
Now, about “can’t handle acting as a character for a few weeks”… You talk as if you’ve been told to play a crazy psycho, an angered ghost, a demented freak amongst other wacky roles for over 8 years? You haven’t. You talk as if all persons handle things the same way especially when it comes to things that affect us mentally. They don’t. I personally don’t think playing in AHS for 8 years is enough to make me feel, think or act different, although it’s a possibility. But I’m reasonable enough to know that the case may not be the same for everyone.
Also we’ve all heard two or more cases of actors/actresses having issues with characters they play, especially in the horror genre. So i don’t get why a guy complaining about the toll of playing in a horror genre of over 8 seasons can’t be seen as legit.
To be honest, your comment isn’t lame, it’s beyond that.
arhodes3
I think he’s at war with his sexuality. In the past 3 or 4 ahs seasons they have casted him in gay roles. And not just a French kiss here a French kiss there, but these roles were very explicit. Full blown just about. Then he plays on pose. It’s like he’s being known more for his gay roles. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out as bisexual.
Larry
It’s acting! Dont you understand your real life is different than your roles?
Doug
Some method actors carry the character around with them in reality while they’re playing it. Heath Ledger allegedly overdosed because he had become so exhausted and overwhelmed with playing the Joker.
batesmotel
You should try acting before you comment on a vocation you know nothing about.
IanHunter
He is a wonderful actor working non-stop. He deserves a break. Enjoy life and take a vacation.
tommyboy5023
He does look good in rubber.
PugsBuddy
I VOLUNTEER to succor him! And, I said succor, not suck, you filthly whores. Although, I mean, well…..
Doug
LOL… he’s definitely a babe.
DarkZephyr
I will miss him but at least he’s not stated that he intends to stay away permanently. It will be weird not to have him on the show for a season but, I’m sure it will still be good. One thing that’s undeniable is that this show has put him on the map.
Deandre00
I get what he’s saying, watching him all 8 seasons has been good . But I have wondered myself how much of emotional toll it takes on ALL of them not just him. The body doesn’t know you’re acting when you use 100% percent of yourself it reverberates. It takes awhile to go away you know, so Evan rest up buddy and come back stronger next season.
batesmotel
The good actors tend to throw their entire beings into a role. He clearly does that or did that in all of the seasons. Although American Horror Story has been getting more tired as each season has droned on away from the first four when they had the iconic Jessica Lange.
CarrieV
Well it seems he and his [now ex-]fiancée Emma Roberts have broken up in the last couple of days.
Now he has one more reason for quiet time to recuperate.
Brian
Haven’t they broken up about 10 times by now?
PugsBuddy
‘Member him in the second season? Prancing around in them loose tighty whities? Lawd of mercy, I just wanted to rip those right off him.
Thad
Can’t he just ask his agent to get him a role in the next Hallmark Channel Christmas movie? They make enough of them. And an actor with his following should be snapped right up for the ratings.