American Horror Story fans have fallen to their knees in despair after reports Ariana Grande will not appear in the new season. The Wicked star, 33, was announced as part of the cast of season 13 on Halloween last year, with the gig set to mark her first time on the iconic Ryan Murphy show. It would also have been a reunion with the producer after starring in his 2015 show Scream Queens, where she would have also shared the screen with her former co-stars Billie Lourd and Evan Peters.
Reports Confirm Grande's Exit Without Filming
Alas, it is not meant to be. Deadline reports that Ariana has exited the show without filming any scenes. A recently screened teaser for the show did not feature the star, leading to speculation she had left. Sources told the publication that her Eternal Sunshine tour dates clashed with shifting production schedules. This comes after the pop star shifted several of her July dates at the end of June.
With production underway, FX has confirmed the show will return on September 24, but further details about the sinister storyline or any of the characters (including who Ariana was meant to play) have all been kept under lock and key.
Fan Backlash and Boycott Threats
The God is a Woman hitmaker exiting the series has gutted fans, with some going as far as to say they would no longer watch this season without the singer. On X, user Cherscientist wrote: 'Oh my god this was going to be my first time watching.' Gagatellacvnty2 shared: 'No one's gonna watch it then.' Matt echoed: 'The fact I started watching the whole show just to be ready to watch that season because of her.' Kkotism posted: 'Aaaaand i'm no longer tuning in.' Vsc complained: 'I binged 5 seasons in 2 weeks of this series to prepare for 13 and then it goes and pulls this on me.' HausofManda declared: 'This is the worst news ever actually.' Kyler agreed: 'I'm so upset about this.' Successfullshakes added: 'Dang that's unfortunate, I was really hoping for a scream queens crossover.'
Speculation on Role Size and Production
Some have speculated that, much like Scream Queens, her role must have been set to be quite small if she was able to drop out so last-minute. On Reddit, hypermad shared: 'When she got announced I assumed she was a pretty significant role in the season but the fact she dropped out in the middle of filming like this suggests the opposite? Or whatever she was doing is just being written out, which feels more Ryan Murphy lol.'
Season 13 Cast and Grande's Other Projects
The new season will still feature Murphy mainstays, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange, alongside director John Waters. Although she won't be appearing in American Horror Story anytime soon, Grande is set to feature in the latest Meet the Fockers instalment, Focker-In-Law, with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. As for her tour, Ariana shared an apology to fans at the end of June over her postponed dates due to concerns over safety and production issues.
Tour Troubles and Personal Life
The star had faced various on-stage malfunctions, from stuck lifts to screens cutting out. She said: 'The utmost important thing to us all is safety, first and foremost, and also making sure you all see the show how it is intended to run. Thank you so much for your understanding and I cannot wait to see you.' It's been a turbulent few months for Ariana, who it is understood has also split up with ex-boyfriend Ethan Slater after three years together. The pair notably met on the set of Wicked. Metro has reached out to FX and Ariana Grande's representatives for comment.
