Formidable parental figures tend to cause major havoc on “American Horror Story” — Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange), we’re looking at you. Unsurprisingly, in “American Horror Story: Delicate,” Debra Monk has joined the ranks as Virginia Harding, mother to Anna Alcott’s (Emma Roberts) husband, Dexter (Matt Czuchry).

Monk’s character first appears in the fourth episode, “Vanishing Twin.” While she’s all smiles and helpful suggestions in front of Anna, she’s already added to her daughter-in-law’s angst in the triumphant wake of Anna’s career surge and the discovery that she has not miscarried. It’s evident that Virginia thinks Anna is too icy for Dex and isn’t that thrilled about the upcoming birth of her grandchild. Worse, she and Dex’s father are about to tangle legally over the matter of his alleged abuse — which she claims took place as part of a cult ritual, something Dex blames on her “quack” psychiatrist.

Debra Monk — renowned for her theatrical work — will be extremely familiar to anyone who loves television, as she’s had a number of noteworthy roles in some long-lived series. That’s her as Andy Sipowicz’ (Dennis Franz) ex-wife, Katie, in 17 Episodes of “NYPD Blue.” She’s the mother to Andy Jr. (Michael DeLuise), and she and Andy Sr. often tangle over matters related to their shared past. It’s a role that won Monk an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 1999. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding her best dramatic work.

Debra Monk is one of a number of theatrical actresses favored by American Horror Story
FX
Aside from her part as Katie, Debra Monk will be familiar to television viewers for numerous other roles. She was Louise O’Malley in seven episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy,” regularly portrayed Deniece Parsons in FX’s “Damages,” and was Betty Cragdale in Prime Video’s “Mozart in the Jungle.” More recently, she had a supporting role in the medical drama “New Amsterdam” as Karen Brantley and appeared in nine episodes of “The Gilded Age” as Armstrong, with nine more to go. She has appeared as a guest star on “Frasier,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Law & Order.”The actress’ film resume is also nothing to sneeze at. She was Madge in “The Bridges of Madison County,” Pam Garrety in “The Devil’s Advocate,” and Mrs. Plum, Stephanie Plum’s (Katherine Heigl) mother in “One For The Money.” She pops up in smaller roles in 2005’s “The Producers,” “In and Out,” “Bulworth,” and “The First Wives Club.”

Theatrically, Debra Monk won a Tony for “Redwood Curtain” in 1993 and has appeared in productions of “Chicago,” “Company,” “Curtains,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Fans will have to wait to see if Virginia’s stories are true — or just another fabrication caused by demons — when “American Horror Story: Delicate” comes to its mid-season finale on October 18.