Guess Who These American Horror Story Castmembers Were Before They Were Stars

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Michael Chiklis in American Horror Story: Freakshow

Michael Chiklis joins the American Horror Story universe for Freakshow as strong man, Dell Toledo, who is married to Angela Bassett's character.

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Jessica Lange in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Jessica Lange in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: After winning an Emmy for her portrayal of Constance in the first American Horror Story, Lange played Sister Jude, a nun at Briarcliff responsible for doling out corporal punishment to some of the patients. Jude's bad girl past was great preparation for her role as Supreme witch, Fiona, in Coven. Next up, Lange plays Elsa Mars, a former German cabaret singer on Freakshow.

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James Cromwell in American Horror Story: Asylum

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James Cromwell in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Cromwell comes to AHS: Asylum as the head physician at Briarcliff. His Dr. Arden was rumored (later confirmed) to be a Nazi, but his motives were not nearly as important as his actions.

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Angela Bassett in American Horror Story: Coven

NOW: Bassett stole the show, in her first AHS appearance, as Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Week to week Laveau's magical scheming, grudge holding and epic outfit wearing kept us rooting for her until the bitter end. In Freakshow Bassett will play Desiree Dupree, a woman who has three breasts?!

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Kathy Bates in American Horror Story: Coven

NOW: The legendary Bates played monstrous socialite Delphine LaLaurie who was entwined in a historic battle with Marie Laveau--in the 1800s. For Freakshow Bates will play the bearded lady, Ethel Darling.

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Adam Levine in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Adam Levine in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Levine was Leo, one half of a newly married couple who visit Briarcliff on a haunted building mystery tour.

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Chloe Sevigny in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Chloe Sevigny in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Sevigny played Shelley, a nymphomaniac being kept in Briarcliff because at the time, people feared anyone who wouldn’t conform to “acceptable” standards. As Ryan Murphy has explained, AHS: Asylum was “about the oppressed…people being punished because they’re different.”

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Evan Peters in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Evan Peters in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: After playing the murderous Tate on American Horror Story, in Peters took on Kit, a character who may or may not be violent—or even sane. Peters played the zombiefied Kyle on Coven. Bates plays Peters' mother on Freakshow and he plays Jimmy, a guy born with lobster claw hands.

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Jenna Dewan-Tatum American Horror Story: Asylum

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Jenna Dewan-Tatum in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Dewan-Tatum was Teresa, the other half of the newly married couple spending their honeymoon in Briarcliff.

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Joseph Fiennes in American Horror Story: Asylum

Joseph Fiennes in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Fiennes reteamed with Ryan Murphy to portray Monsignor Timothy O'Hara, a manipulative man of the cloth to whom Sister Jude took a liking.

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Lily Rabe in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Lily Rabe in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Rabe dons a nun’s outfit for the role of Sister Eunice, Siser Jude’s protégée in Asylum, after playing the baby-crazy and grief-stricken Nora in American Horror Story. She took on channeling the "White Witch" herself, Stevie Nicks, as Fleetwood Mac superfan/witch Misty Day in Coven. As of now, Rabe won't appear in Freakshow.

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Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: After playing Billie the psychic in American Horror Story, Paulson cames to Asylum to portray Lana Winters, a 1960s reporter who was close to revealing Briarcliff’s secrets. She played a less tough cookie as Cordelia, the daughter of Fiona, on Coven. On Freakshow, Paulson gets the acting opportunity of a lifetime playing conjoined twins Bette and Dot.

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Zachary Quinto in American Horror Story: Asylum

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Zachary Quinto in American Horror Story: Asylum

NOW: Once a manipulative ghost chained to a cheating life partner in American Horror Story, Quinto was Dr. Oliver Thredson, a mild-mannered physician under the employ of Briarcliff.

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Connie Britton in American Horror Story

NOW: Britton played Vivien, the wife to Dylan McDermott's skeevy Ben in the first season of AHS. The couple alongside daughter, Violet (Taissa Farmiga), move their emotional baggage into a new Los Angeles home. Little did they know that their new home contained far bigger baggage than just their family secrets.