Ryan Murphy’s Repertory: Which Actors Does the Uber-Producer Rely on Most?
You’re not alone if the cast of the upcoming Netflix film The Boys in the Band is giving you serious Ryan Murphy flashbacks.
The TV mega-producer recruited some of his old faves to star in the Broadway revival and its film adaptation, including The Normal Heart’s Jim Parsons and Matt Bomer, The New Normal’s Andrew Rannells, and American Horror Story’s Zachary Quinto. Plus, Joe Mantello of Hollywood and The Normal Heart fame directed The Boys in the Band on the stage and the screen.
Indeed, Murphy practically has his own informal repertory of actors. Here are the TV stars topping the chart, starting with some “threepeats.”
The Threepeats
Dylan McDermott recurred on American Horror Story, guest-starred as Theo Klein on The Politician, and played Ernie in Hollywood. Jessica Lange brought prestige to American Horror Story’s first four seasons before portraying Joan Crawford in Feud: Bette and Joan and playing Dusty Jackson in The Politician. And Connie Britton starred in the first season of AHS before portraying Faye Resnick on The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and playing Abby Clark in 9-1-1’s debut season. Other threepeats include Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Jon Briones, Kate Mara, and Kenneth Choi.
Romy Rosemont (4 series)
Rosemont might be best known for playing Glee’s Carole Hudson-Hummel — Finn’s mom and Kurt’s stepmom — but she also guest-starred as Libby Zucker in Nip/Tuck, Jill Shively in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and Lola Peterson in 9-1-1.
Patti LuPone (4 series)
The Broadway legend played herself on Glee, Joan Ramsey in American Horror Story: Coven, Frederica Norman on Pose, and Avis Amberg in Hollywood.
Leslie Grossman (4 series)
After starring as cheery cheerleader Mary Cherry on Popular, Grossman played Bliss Berger in Nip/Tuck, Melissa in The New Normal, and multiple characters in the last three AHS seasons.
Darren Criss (4 series)
Criss is one of Murphy’s most recurring leads. The actor starred as Blaine Anderson on Glee, Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and Raymond Ainsley in Hollywood. He also recurred as Justin in American Horror Story: Hotel.
Matt Bomer (4 series)
The White Collar alum played Cooper Anderson on Glee, various characters in AHS, and Monty in The New Normal, and he directed an episode of American Crime Story. He’s also a star of two Ryan Murphy-produced TV movies, The Normal Heart and The Boys in the Band.
Sarah Paulson (5 series)
Little did Paulson know when she guest-starred as Agatha Ripp in Nip/Tuck that Murphy would change her life. The actress has appeared in every AHS season save for one, she won an Emmy for portraying Marcia Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, she played Geraldine Page in Feud, and she’s playing the titular nurse of the upcoming show Ratched.
