When Ryan Murphy slipped a phone call into Joey Pollari’s day, the young actor never imagined it would spark a career-defining arc. The call—”I’m calling you because you’re going to be the lead of the next American Horror Story“—left Pollari speechless, yet it set in motion a series of events that would take him from the blue carpet of a Doctor Odyssey premiere to the dark heart of season 13. In the new installment, Pollari inhabits Ben DeSoto, a character whose journey begins with an irrational fear of the number 13 (a case of triskaidekaphobia) and culminates in a shocking revelation that he is the son of Satan himself.
The magnitude of the role became clear early on. Murphy not only revealed the character’s core but also previewed the cast, telling Pollari that he would share extensive screen time with Jessica Lange. The promise of acting opposite such a legend was, as Pollari put it, “no small potatoes.” In addition to Lange, the ensemble includes Sarah Paulson, Gabourey Sidibe, and Emma Roberts, each returning to reinforce the season’s intricate mythology. Pollari describes the set as a convergence of AHS royalty, noting that every scene feels like stepping into an established universe while still delivering fresh terror.
From production assistant to leading man
Pollari’s path to Ben DeSoto began far from a soundstage. In August of 2024, while working as an event PA for the Doctor Odyssey premiere, he spent a night steaming 20-foot curtains and listening to a self-help audiobook. The next day he was on the blue carpet, handing out markers and water bottles, when Ryan Murphy walked the same line just 40 minutes later. Six weeks to the day of that premiere, Pollari received an invitation to audition for Monster: The Ed Gein Story, marking his first in-person audition in four years. Within five weeks he learned he had secured the part, and the success sparked a rapid series of collaborations with Murphy.
About six months after the Doctor Odyssey event, Murphy invited Pollari to Italy, where they met among ancient Roman ruins. “We should grab dinner,” Murphy said, and the meal cemented a kinship that Pollari describes as transformative. This personal bond, forged in historic stone, translated directly into professional trust: Murphy later called Pollari to reveal the AHS lead, trusting him with a character that would bridge legacy AHS storylines and introduce a new, diabolical lineage.
Season 13’s mythic twist and the upcoming finale
Episode 12 delivered a jaw-dropping revelation: the characters portrayed by Jessica Lange across three classic seasons—Constance Langdon, Fiona Goode, and a newly disclosed sister—are revealed as siblings, with Sister Jude as their biological mother and Satan as their father. This connective tissue, hinted at through a “616” tattoo on Ben’s lower back, recontextualizes the entire narrative and pushes Ben toward a climactic confrontation. As the penultimate episode closed, Ben, alongside Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), found themselves overpowered by Ben’s satanic father, embodied by both Fedor Steer and Paul Anthony Kelly. The stakes are now higher than ever, and the series finale on Oct. 29 promises to resolve—or further unravel—these intertwined destinies.
Pollari remains cautious about future appearances, noting that continuation depends entirely on the writers. Yet he admits the experience of sharing screen time with Lange, battling supernatural forces, and navigating a script that blends horror with dark humor has been “extremely special.” He adds that, despite the superstitions surrounding the number 13, he does not share Ben’s anxieties, but enjoys playing a character steeped in paranoia. As the finale approaches, audiences can expect more revelations, new alliances, and perhaps a chance for Pollari’s Ben to become an AHS alumnus.
