Grotesquerie: Niecy Nash-Betts Teases Ryan Murphy’s “Very Different” New Horror Series

Ryan Murphy’s latest horror series, Grotesquerie, debuts on FX in just a few weeks, but fans who are expecting something that reminds them of Murphy’s other big horror series, American Horror Story, might want to check their expectations at the door. According to Grotesquerie star Niecy Nash-Betts, the new series is something very different — and nothing like fans have seen before from the creator.

“I think that Ryan has something for you with this one. This one is different. This is very different,” Nash-Betts told EW. “To me, it’s not like anything I’ve seen him do before. If you are a Ryan Murphy fan, you’re going to love it. If you’re a Niecy Nash-Betts fan, you’re going to love it. If you’re a Travis Kelce fan, you’re going to love it.”

Nash-Betts also opened up about how she would categorize Grotesquerie, saying that it’s not exactly the kind of horror found in Murphy’s Scream Queens or American Horror Story nor is it a drama like Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Instead, Nash-Betts says that the series is a little bit of both.

“I would say this show is going towards a hybrid of dark drama and horror,” Nash-Betts said.

Nash-Betts had high praise for Travis Kelce, who makes his acting debut in Grotesquerie in an undisclosed role. Nash-Betts previously shared a video from the set of Grotesquerie revealing the NFL star’s casting in the series and welcoming him to the cast.

“I can say this about Travis Kelce,” she said. “He was a pleasure to work with. He wanted to make sure that he studied hard, that he was well prepared. He took notes and. I think he did a really good job. I really do. I took him under my little wing. I said, ‘Now let me try this. Try that. Let’s do this. Let’s read it at lunchtime.’ All of the things that he was amenable to, and he comes across on camera beautifully.”

In Grotesquerie, a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community and Detective Lois Tryon (Nash-Betts) feels that the crimes are eerily personal, as if someone — or something — is taunting her. At home, she grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, her own inner demons, and a husband in long-term hospital care. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, Lois accepts help from Sister Megan (Michaela Diamond), a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity and yet still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, however, thinks the world is succumbing to evil and as the two string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.

In addition to Nash-Betts, Diamond, and Kelce, Grotesquerie stars Lesley Manville, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Raven Goodwin. The series, which has 10 episodes, will debut on FX on September 25th.