Joey Pollari, a First-Time Actor, Leads American Horror Story Season 13
Joey Pollari is the lead of American Horror Story's thirteenth season, and he is new to the show. He told The Hollywood Reporter that show creator Ryan Murphy phoned him personally to say he would be the lead.
Pollari's route to the role started on set rather than on screen. He worked as a production assistant on the red carpet for Murphy's 2025 series Doctor Odyssey. That job led to parts in the Monster franchise, The Beauty and, now, American Horror Story.
He plays Ben DeSoto. Ben starts the season as a boyfriend with triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. By the end of the season, he has learned he is the son of Satan. Ben's satanic father is played by two actors, Fedor Steer and Paul Anthony Kelly. Kelly plays the character known as Mr. Nas, and FX's cast videos show Nas revealing he is Ben's father in Episode 10.
Murphy told Pollari that Ben would introduce the show's lore, the background history that ties the seasons together. Ben would also act as a gateway to returning characters, and he would share many scenes with Jessica Lange. Lange plays all four of her iconic characters this season, including Fiona Goode. Pollari's character is also linked to Fiona in Episode 12, which connects Ben's family tree to her, according to TV Insider.
The rest of the cast includes Sarah Paulson as Cordelia and Gabourey Sidibe as Queenie. In the penultimate week of the season, Ben, Cordelia and Queenie are overtaken by Ben's satanic father, the interview reports.
The season finale airs on October 29, after 12 episodes. The network has already looked further ahead. The Hollywood Reporter reported on October 20 that FX has renewed the series for a fourteenth season.
For viewers, the immediate next step is simple. Season 13 ends with the finale on October 29, and the show returns to FX for Season 14 after that. Pollari's rise from the red carpet to the lead role is a rare path on a show this established, and it began with a call from the person who runs it.
