'American Horror Story' Season 5 Cast: Denis O'Hare Confronts Old 'Wound' Playing Liz Taylor, Showered With Praise
Playing Liz Taylor on FX's American Horror Story: Hotel has opened up some old wounds for Denis O'Hare.
Evan Peters Wants His Next 'American Horror Story' Character To Be 'Handicapped'
O'Hare has arguably been one of the biggest standout performers on this season of American Horror Story for playing the audacious, feminine and strong Liz Taylor. But the role forced the actor to confront shadings of his past in deep ways.
"I am a 53-year-old gay man who had to come out in the '80s, when it wasn't fashionable. I was a Catholic, so I had a very, very painful experience with being gay," O'Hare told Variety recently. "This role was sort of putting the finger directly in that wound and forcing me to confront that."
5 Possible Concepts For The Next Season Of 'American Horror Story'
The actor also went through his first sex scene in the latest episode of American Horror Story: Hotel, with Liz Taylor and Finn Wittrock's character, Tristan. This too allowed O'Hare to confront an insecurity.
"I had a sex scene this year, my first one ever, which I was terrified by because I'm a character actor," he admitted. "I'm not called upon to flash some a--, and that was uncomfortable for me. I tried to make sure my sex partner was always blocking me."
O'Hare has received loads of praise from AHS fans for his performance in Hotel, which some are either calling the best this season or the actor's best performance yet:
It must be said, I think @denisohare is by far playing his best role yet as Liz Taylor... Fantastic acting!! @AHSFX #AHSHotel
— Matthew W. Hallowell (@MWHallowell) November 5, 2015
@denisohare no doubt about it, your Liz Taylor is my favorite character in this season of AHS. Hell, maybe in the show, period! — Adam Burton (@SubliminalAd) November 5, 2015
Liz Taylor of AHS gives me life I am living
— princesa (@Dalhiaboogieman) November 14, 2015
#LizTaylor #DennisOHare YOU ARE GIVING ME LIFE!!!! SLAY KWEEN! You are kicking #Gaga ass! She ain't the star. YOU ARE! @AHSFX #ahs #ahshotel — Jennifer Drake (@Jenni__D) November 14, 2015
I was waiting for Liz Taylor's origin story & there it was & it was beautiful. Denis O'Hare deserves the Emmy now more than ever. #AHSHotel — Scott Meisner (@scottmeiz) November 14, 2015
Liz Taylor is honestly the best ahs character of all time don't @ me — Will (@w_butz) November 14, 2015
American Horror Story: Hotel airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.
