American Horror Story season 12 revealed a new look at Delicate’s characters, confirming the return of series vets Billie Lourd and Leslie Grossman, but a detail surrounding their story involvement is worrying. Lourd and Grossman are joining other AHS stars such as Emma Roberts, Denis O’Hare, and Zachary Quinto, in addition to newcomers Kim Kardashian, Matt Czuchry, Cara Delevingne, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. Though Roberts is back in a lead role for the upcoming season, Lourd and Grossman have been mainstays since American Horror Story: Cult released in 2017, so it’s no surprise they’ve both become fan favorites.

In the past, American Horror Story kept their plots under wraps leading up to new seasons. Since every installment centered around a uniquely terrifying theme, details would only come from creepy teasers and cast announcements. Interestingly, American Horror Story season 12 marks the first time the show is adapting an established story by basing the story on Danielle Valentine’s novel titled Delicate Condition. While American Horror Story season 12’s Rosemary’s Baby inspiration has been pointed out, new character details are shedding light on what Delicate truly has in store, specifically with the returning show veterans.

Billie Lourd & Leslie Grossman’s American Horror Story Season 12 Characters Are Linked To Kim Kardashian

As the lead for American Horror Story: Delicate, Emma Roberts will portray Anna Alcott, a rising actress struggling with the balance of fame and wanting to start a family, which is where Kim Kardashian’s Siobhan Walsh comes in. Siobhan is an aging actor who takes Anna under her wing while guiding her down the right path with her career. However, according to American Horror Story season 12’s trailer, she might not truly be on Anna’s side. Even though the trailer also shows Lourd and Grossman, it’s a bit disappointing that they are being teased in connection to Kardashian’s character, sticking them in supportive roles.

Considering Kim Kardashian’s lack of acting experience, her involvement in Delicate has been labeled stunt casting. The anthology has been diminishing in quality as time goes on, and it’s worrisome that the series is relying on big flashy names rather than AHS veterans or worthwhile newcomers to carry the season. By showing Lourd and Grossman’s characters Olympia and Emily standing by the side of Siobhan, it surely seems like the trio of women are being grouped together, but rather than have Lourd and Grossman at the forefront for a dynamic and possibly villainous arc, Kardashian is being given the reigns without having earned the role.

Why Billie Lourd & Leslie Grossman Deserve Bigger Roles In American Horror Story Season 12

It’s unclear how big the roles of Olympia and Emily will be in Delicate, but Siobhan obviously has a pivotal role alongside Roberts’ Anna. At this point in the series, returning cast members and crossovers to past American Horror Story seasons are the most appealing factors. Returning cast members don’t pay off if they are kept to the sidelines or barely interact with fellow veterans.

Lourd and Grossman have proven they can carry main roles, and it certainly would have been more intriguing to see them work with Roberts again in a larger capacity. This is especially true after the trio’s work together in Apocalypse and 1984 and Lourd’s past with Roberts from their time on Scream Queens. Instead, American Horror Story season 12 is embracing a casting stunt instead of rewarding those who kept the show around for so long.