Here Are The First 'American Horror Story: Hotel' Character Names

We finally know who will be checking into the “American Horror Story: Hotel” next season.

Actors from both “American Horror Story” and “Scream Queens” joined Ryan Murphy, co-creator of both shows, onstage at a combined Comic-Con panel on Sunday. “AHS” Season 5 cast members Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Evan Peters and Matt Bomer took the stage alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Skyler Samuels, Keke Palmer, Abigail Breslin and Billie Lourd of Fox’s upcoming “Scream Queens.”

While Murphy didn’t share any new footage from either series, he did reveal a handful of details about the new season of “AHS,” according to multiple outlets. We now know that Sarah Paulson will play Hypodermic Sally, Evan Peters is Mr. March, Kathy Bates is Iris and Matt Bomer is Donovan. We also know that all of the above characters, plus Angela Bassett’s character, will be evil.

Although Murphy reportedly didn’t say much about how “Hotel” will tie in to the previous seasons of “AHS,” which he revealed last year were all connected, he did say that former “AHS” characters will return in the new season.

Murphy also revealed that Paulson, whose characters have previously survived all four seasons of “AHS,” may not survive this year.

While “Hotel” newcomer Lady Gaga was not at the panel on Sunday, Murphy revealed the story behind her casting. The pop singer apparently contacted Murphy herself and asked if she could play an evil character. His response? “YES,” in all caps, according to Mashable. Gaga won’t have any singing moments on the horror series, but fashion will be a major aspect of the “Bad Romance” singer’s character.

So far, Murphy hasn’t revealed any further details about “Hotel,” but we do know it will also star Chloe Sevigny, Wes Bentley, Finn Wittrock, Max Greenfield and Cheyenne Jackson. “AHS” veteran Jessica Lange has already been pretty clear that she won’t be returning to the show; however, Murphy reportedly made a comment during the panel that the actress could come back one day, according to E! News.

FX has yet to release further plot details about “American Horror Story: Hotel,” but we have speculated on what the new season could be about, based on previous clues.

“American Horror Story” returns in October on FX.

“Scream Queens” premieres on Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Fox.

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Why Gaming's 'Breakout' Gay Character Matters

Gamers and critics welcomed Dragon Age: Inquisition with its revolutionary LGBT content, but online conversation still lags behind.

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Matt Baume

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/geek/2015/07/12/why-gamings-breakout-gay-character-matters

Preview: Geoffrey Hyland on F*cking Men

The King’s Head theatre in London has a strong track record of presenting new work, but it’s great to see the return of one their most successful productions – Fucking Men.

This new production will be directed by Geoffrey Hyland. We caught up with Hyland to talk about the play’s return to the London stage.

Do you feel any pressure for this production of Fucking Men to exceed or at least live up to the original?

I didn’t see the original production so I have no preconceived ideas of how this play works. The same goes for the rest of the cast. So we will be coming at it from our own perspectives and perceptions. And because we are unique artists, I expect the play to reek of that individuality.

I guess the only pressure we feel is to honor the themes of the play and to do what is necessary to give the audience an enthralling evening at the theatre.

Is the play as explicit as its title suggests?

Let’s be clear – this isn’t pornography (or pornography in the guise of art). It’s about men hooking up with men. It’s about desire – that complex terrain between body and mind. It’s about the search for love, for ecstasy or for some kind of connection. And it’s about the magic and the danger of that pursuit.

The production will present this exploration in a titillating, raw, sensual, frank, sexy, stylish and thought-provoking way.

Is it a play that will only appeal to gay men?

All my life I’ve watched ‘straight’ plays and found something relevant to my life as a gay man. So here’s a play drawn from a gay perspective but one that is still relevant to the wider human experience. Anyone who enjoys a candid and provocative exploration of the physical and sexual expression of human desire should find something that appeals.

Who can we expect to see in the cast for this production of Fucking Men?

Ten very different and, I believe, very good actors – not just pretty faces. And they range in age from 20–50. For some of them it’s their London debut, whilst others have tons of experience. I have to say that they’re a pretty compelling bunch. They will be announced very soon!

What was your casting process like – was it difficult to find the actors you were looking for to fill these roles?

It was actually a lot easier than I expected. Any actor, who had read the play and the audition brief, knew the challenge. There’s a willingness to be confronted by some fairly candid material, to be open to an ‘out there’ experience and to travel the road to fully honor the subject matter.

The text as written can also lead one into presenting stereotypes – it became important to find actors who could texture the character beyond the obvious. I believe I’ve found them.

The King’s Head is an intimate space, what sort of challenges does that present for actors?

For the audience this is a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ experience, what I like to call ‘shit-kicking realism’. The actors need to come from a very truthful, very centred place and we should not feel as though they’re acting. They can’t pretend – they can only work with aspects of their lived lives and their potential selves. And that kind of honesty is very confronting, a nakedness – sometimes quite literally as well.

Is there a danger that the experiences of the characters in Fucking Men will feel a bit dated? Why is this play still relevant for today’s audiences?

The dialogue is pretty damn smart and contemporary. With a few tweaks, we will transpose it from its American setting into present-day London.

I don’t think that the hunt for sex, ecstasy and physical pleasure (and all that this means) is ever dated.

Fucking Men is being presented by the King’s Head Theatre in London, 5-30 August 2015.

Read more from Gareth Johnson

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The post Preview: Geoffrey Hyland on F*cking Men appeared first on Gay Star News.

Gareth Johnson

www.gaystarnews.com/article/preview-geoffrey-hyland-on-fcking-men/

The Science Behind Why Public Speaking Makes You Panic: VIDEO

As a part of the series “Body Betrayal,” which explains reasons behind the human body’s idiosyncrasies, Gizmodo has taken on the task of explaining why people get “stage fright.”

The colorfully animated video  first takes on the biological reason for stage fright — the “fight or flight” instinct — then covers what’s going on inside the body to cause the actual sensation. At just over one minute long, the video is a quick lesson and an easily shareable trivia fact. Check out out below:

The post The Science Behind Why Public Speaking Makes You Panic: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

Jake Folsom

The Science Behind Why Public Speaking Makes You Panic: VIDEO

Married Gay Activist’s Meeting with Pope Was ‘Very Productive’

Simón Cazal of LGBT Paraguayan group SomosGay, says he was encouraged by his audience with Pope Francis.

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Sunnivie Brydum

www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2015/07/12/married-gay-activist-s-meeting-pope-was-very-productive

Governor Scott Walker’s sons don’t plan on changing his mind on same-sex marriage

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker doesn’t have to worry about constant haranguing from his sons when it comes to same-sex marriage. The family agrees to disagree.

Alex and Matt Walker were interviewed today, 12 July, by CNN. The two remain disappointed their father condemned the Supreme Court’s ruling making gay marriage legal in all 50 states, but they don’t intend to try to change their father’s opinion.

‘Matt and I aren’t necessarily changing his stances on any issues,’ 19-year-old Alex said in the interview, as he sat next to his 21-year-old brother.

Tomorrow Governor Walker will announce his presidential 2016 campaign. Last month, after the high court’s 26 June ruling, the Republican stated: ‘I believe this Supreme Court decision is a grave mistake.’ He blamed ‘five unelected judges’ and called for an amendment to the US Constitution so states can block gay marriage.

Earlier this month, in a newspaper interview, Tonette Walker, the governor’s wife, noted Matt and Alex voiced displeasure about their father’s comments.

‘That was a hard one,’ she said to Washington Post. ‘Our sons were disappointed. . . . I was torn. I have children who are very passionate [in favor of same-sex marriage], and Scott was on his side very passionate.’

‘Like any family, we have disagreements,’ Alex said to CNN. ‘He just explained his position, and that was it.’

Below is a clip of the interview. The conversation about marriage equality starts at approximately the 2 minute mark.

The post Governor Scott Walker’s sons don’t plan on changing his mind on same-sex marriage appeared first on Gay Star News.

James Withers

www.gaystarnews.com/article/governor-scott-walkers-sons-dont-plan-on-changing-his-mind-on-same-sex-marriage/

Matt Bomer Dishes on Donning the Red Cape and Almost Being Cast as Superman 15 Years Ago: AUDIO

Before he was making audiences sweat with his stripping abilities or apprehending dangerous white collar criminals, Matt Bomer was a little known daytime television soap opera actor. But what you may not know is that Bomer’s career could have played out much different way as the actor came this close to being cast as the Man of Steel in a scrapped Superman film written by J.J. Abrams and directed by Brett Ratner.

During a recent appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Bomer opened up about suiting up for the role back when he was around 23-years-old.

“I screen tested with Amy Adams in the tights,” said the Magic Mike XXL star, who went on to reveal that both Paul Walker and Brendan Fraser also tried out for the role. “Thankfully Brett chose me for the project…it was maybe a month of ‘Okay this is going to happen’ and then it just slowly fell apart.”

Unfortunatly, the project never took flight again after falling apart and the red and blue mantle passed on to Brandon Routh in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. Warner Bros later rebooted the franchise again with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel  in 2013 and a sequel titled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is due next year.

Related, “18 Reasons Why Henry Cavill is the Sexiest Superman Yet”

Also of note from the interview – Bomer talks about what it was like being cast in The Normal Heart, the HBO film based on the Larry Kramer play he read growing up in rural Texas.

Watch the interview below (Supmerman talk starts around 26:45)

[h/t Just Jared]

The post Matt Bomer Dishes on Donning the Red Cape and Almost Being Cast as Superman 15 Years Ago: AUDIO appeared first on Towleroad.

Kyler Geoffroy

Matt Bomer Dishes on Donning the Red Cape and Almost Being Cast as Superman 15 Years Ago: AUDIO