American Horror Story star Evan Peters has made a dramatic return to television in a chilling new series from acclaimed creator Ryan Murphy. The 39-year-old actor takes centre stage in the body horror thriller The Beauty, which premiered its first three episodes on Disney+ in January 2026.
A Multilingual Performance
In the series, Peters portrays FBI Agent Cooper Madsen, who investigates mysterious deaths within the supermodel industry alongside his colleague and love interest Jordan Bennett, played by Rebecca Hall. The investigation spans the United States and Europe, requiring the characters to travel to France and Italy.
This international scope presented Peters with a unique challenge: mastering foreign languages for his role. While English is his native tongue, viewers of the initial episodes will witness him delivering dialogue in both French and Italian with notable fluency.
Language Learning Journey
Prior to the series premiere, Peters' co-star Anthony Ramos humorously suggested the actor "speaks like 18 languages in the show." Although this was an exaggeration, Peters did commit to learning European languages specifically for this project.
At New York Comic Con in October 2025, Peters shared insights into his language preparation techniques. "I enjoyed it [learning languages]. It was fun and I had some great tutors," he revealed, mentioning the online application Babbel as one of his resources.
He elaborated on his process: "It was really working with the tutors. Starting with the basics of the language and then the pronunciation. They're so different. So, just starting with the basics, and then looking at the script and translating."
The Plot of The Beauty
The Beauty is based on the comic book series by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley. The narrative follows federal agents as they probe the bizarre deaths of supermodels, uncovering a sexually transmitted virus with terrifying consequences.
This pathogen transforms ordinary individuals into their most physically attractive versions, but with horrifying side effects. Agent Madsen's investigation brings him into direct conflict with a ruthless tech billionaire who has developed a miracle drug called The Beauty, which he is determined to keep on the market at any cost.
Future Linguistic Showcases
While Peters demonstrates proficiency in French and Italian in the first three episodes, there remains potential for him to showcase additional linguistic skills in the remaining eight instalments of the series. Given that he undertook language learning specifically for this role, it is likely that his French and Italian are functional for performance rather than indicating complete fluency.
The series represents a significant television return for Peters, who shares the screen with Rebecca Hall in this globe-trotting thriller. The Beauty is now available for streaming on Disney+, with new episodes expected to continue the complex investigation across European settings.
