‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ Casts Michael Chiklis

American Horror Story has been ramping up the suspense for its fourth season, and the cast and producers revealed more details Friday during a panel at PaleyFest. As Variety reports, series creator Ryan Murphy took the opportunity to announce that he has cast Michael Chiklis of The Shield in a key role for American Horror Story: Freak Show.

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Murphy revealed earlier this week that the new installment of the series would be set in early-1950s Florida. Jessica Lange, who has appeared in each of the series’ first three seasons, will play a German ex-pat who runs a carnival sideshow.

Chiklis will play the former husband of Kathy Bates’ character and the father of Evan Peters’ character. Sarah Paulson, Angela Basset and Frances Conroy will all return for the new season, playing performers in Lange’s carnival.

Murphy also discussed the show’s most recent season at PaleyFest and praised the Coven cast as “the most amazing group of women that has ever been on TV.”

“This was a season about female empowerment,” he said, and co-creator, Brad Falchuk agreed: “Each season is about something behind the genre, and this season was about women, and about mothers and daughters. You can’t have a more female horror genre than witches. If you want to tell a female story, there’s no other choice.”