A slew of new details for the plot of FX's American Horror Story: Freak Show have been released, including info on who Frances Conroy and Emma Roberts will be playing and insight into various relationships between the characters.

American Horror Story co-creator Ryan Murphy along with stars Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson spoke with Entertainment Weekly recently, revealing the various plot lines slated for Freak Show.

As previously reported, Lange plays German expatriate Elsa Mars, a former cabaret singer who now owns a freak show in Jupiter, Fla. in 1952. Despite her "manipulative" ways, as Lange says, she still cares for her troupe of performers. "It's not just exploitation."

The rise of television has caused attendance at Elsa's freak show to decline, so she enlists conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson) in order to sell more tickets. While the twins have very different personalities, it is not "as simple as nice and evil," Paulson assures.

The freak show is a real family affair with "bearded lady" Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates), her son, "lobster boy" Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters) and her ex-husband, strongman Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis) are all members of the troupe. Ethel is Elsa's "right hand woman," Murphy reveals.

Meanwhile, outside of the freak show, Conroy is set to play a wealthy woman with a son (Finn Wittrock) who wishes to join the troupe. Emma Roberts and Denis O'Hare are playing a couple of con artists. Gabourey Sidibe is playing a socialite who returns to her home in Florida after her mother (Patti LaBelle) goes missing.

Finally, it wouldn't be a season of American Horror Story without a truly twisted villain. After such villains as Rubber Man in Season 1, Bloody Face in Asylum and The Axeman in Coven, Freak Show is providing another serial killer. The season's villain is Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch), an evil clown with murderous tendencies who is not very happy about the arrival of the freak show.

"He's out to make their lives a living hell," Murphy teases. "He's wearing a mask on the lower part of his face and there comes a point in the season where takes the mask off and when you see what's under you will faint in terror."

Based on the horrific nature of the clown imagery shown in promotional photos and videos, those who are afraid of the carnival staples may want to stay away.

American Horror Story: Freak Show is set to debut Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX.

Watch the latest trailer for Freak Show here:

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American Horror Story, Television, Fx