After starring in the swooning yet devastating FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, Paul Anthony Kelly is set to step into a far darker and more intense role. The actor recently announced that he has joined the cast of the 13th season of American Horror Story. Previously, he had expressed his desire to take on a completely different role and perhaps even a villain, which is a major shift from his role as beloved John F. Kennedy Jr.

While he hinted at his new gig back in April this year, more details about the actor’s new project have been revealed.

During The Walt Disney Company’s annual Upfront presentation in New York City, Paul Anthony Kelly made a dramatic surprise appearance to make the announcement. Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, Billie Lourd, and Emma Roberts, who are part of the cast, were present on the stage. Kelly said that 13 is his “lucky number” to tease the upcoming season 13 of American Horror Story, as well as his mysterious role. 

“I guess every nightmare needs fresh blood … and thirteen's my lucky number,” Kelly said.

This will be Kelly’s next big project after the FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette dominated streaming platforms and online trends for weeks. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s American Horror Story is a famous anthology series that began in 2011 and has been going strong since. While several previous cast members, such as Paulson, are set to return to reprise their roles, new characters have also joined for the upcoming season. 

This is clearly an intriguing beginning to Kelly’s acting career, especially after his decade-long struggles to land an acting gig. During that period, he worked as a model for several major brands, including Bonobos, Perry Ellis, John Varvatos, and Loro Piana. His previous project, The Venery of Samantha Bird, was never released because of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. 

‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ Ending Explained: A Devastating End to a Tragic Love Story

After years of rejection, Kelly had nearly walked away from acting altogether before finally securing the breakthrough FX role.

Paul Anthony Kelly was often told that he resembled John F. Kennedy Jr., though he never imagined that would eventually lead to his breakthrough role. Early in his career, he auditioned for several roles but faced rejection. And at one point, he had grown disheartened and was close to walking away from acting altogether.

I was really toying with the idea of giving up and maybe moving back to Canada and raising a family and doing something totally different,” he told Gold Derby. “I was about to give up.” 

However, that is when he got the role in FX’s Love Story, which was just 3 weeks before filming began. He worked with a dialect coach, an acting coach, and a physical trainer, while watching archival footage and an audiobook narrated by JFK Jr. to look and sound more like him. That hope and hard work seem to have finally paid off as he steps up for a new role.

'Love Story' Creator Explains How the FX Series Honored JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

What do you think about Paul Anthony Kelly's new role? Let us know in the comments.