American Horror Story: Mia Farrow Regrets Turning Down Season 1 Role

American Horror Story kicked off its eleventh season this week, and it’s not the only new project from Ryan Murphy. In addition to executive producing Netflix’s successful The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, he’s also producing The Watcher for the streaming site in addition to helming the first and third episodes. The limited series, which is based on the Internet urban legend of “The Watcher,” stars Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Jennifer Coolidge, Margo Martindale, and Mia Farrow. Netflix released a video titled In Conversation: Ryan Murphy Talks with the Women of The Watcher, and he revealed he wanted Farrow to appear way back in the first season of American Horror Story, and the Rosemary’s Baby icon admitted that she regrets turning it down. 

“I’ve been trying to work with you since 2010,” Murphy explained during the segmen (via ET Online). “When I wrote the pilot of American Horror Story, I won’t say what it was, I wrote a part for you and begged your agents to get it to you. And they were like, ‘Mia doesn’t want to work right now.’” He went on to thank Farrow for making The Watcher, adding, “I’m so thrilled and it was so fun to work with you.”

“I’m really sorry I didn’t do that. I regretted it,” Farrow revealed. “Yes, I regretted not doing it and I also jumped at the chance when you said via our friend, Ronan, ‘I got this thing for your mother. She can wear all black and it will be really interesting.’ And I’m like, ‘Sure.’”

What Is The Watcher About?

Here’s how Netflix describes The Watcher: “Dean (Cannavale) and Nora Brannock (Watts) just purchased their dream home in the idyllic suburb of Westfield, New Jersey, but after putting all of their savings into closing the deal they soon realize the neighborhood is less than welcoming. There’s a kooky older woman named Pearl (Farrow) and her brother Jasper (Kinney), who sneaks into the Brannock’s house and hides in their dumbwaiter. There’s Karen (Coolidge), the realtor and an old acquaintance of Nora’s, who makes them feel like they don’t really belong, and nosy neighbors Mitch (Kind) and Mo (Martindale), who don’t seem to understand property lines. Their icy welcome quickly turns into a full-blown living hell when ominous letters from someone calling themselves ‘The Watcher’ start arriving, terrorizing the Brannocks to their breaking point as the neighborhood’s sinister secrets come spilling out.”

The Watcher is now streaming on Netflix.