American Horror Story is a horror anthology series known for putting new twists on classic tropes like demons, ghosts and even aliens. However, it's also known for using the same actors and pushing their performances in new directions with characters that are often fundamentally different from previous performances. One of the best examples of this can be seen with franchise veterans Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, who have been with AHS since the early seasons. But there is one actor whose face may not be as recognizable, but his performances are just as iconic -- John Carroll Lynch.
Lynch hasn't been with the series nearly as long as some of his co-stars, but each performance he brings elicits a huge emotional response from viewers. Whether it be feelings of fear, anger or sympathy, Lynch consistently gets strong reception and shows that a role can stay in the audience's mind no matter how small.
Twisty the Clown (Freak Show)
Twisty first appeared in American Horror Story: Freak Show and began his life tragically. As a baby, he was dropped on his head, leading to a mental disability that affected his everyday life. As he got older, Twisty left to join the circus as a clown and was a fast success with the children. However, his rise in popularity caused jealousy with his fellow circus performers, who ruined his career with false claims that he was molesting children.
While untrue, the claims became enough to put him out of work. The reputation he obtained also kept him from finding other forms of work years later. Racked with depression, he ended up disfiguring his face after a failed suicide attempt and covered his mouth with a huge smiling mask. From that point on, he would try to "save" the children that he believed loved him by killing their families and keeping them in cages.
John Wayne Gacy (Hotel)
In the following season, American Horror Story: Hotel, Lynch returned with a similar clown motif. However, rather than taking another stab at the role of Twisty, he portrays the real-life serial killer, John Wayne Gacy. In real life, Gacy often took on the role of a clown named Pogo. He would lure young men into his home, trick them into handcuffing themselves before sexually assaulting and strangling them. But to the public, he was an unsuspecting member of the community that would've never appear to be the monster he truly was.
Lynch ensures that Gacy's instability is prevalent as he joins other famous serial killers like Richard Ramirez at James March's ghostly Devil's Night dinner at the Hotel Cortez. In the scene, Lynch shows up in the Pogo makeup, holding a knife and discussing his murders and the steps to hiding a body.
Mr. Jingles (1984)
After two seasons, Lynch returned in American Horror Story: 1984 as Benjamin Richter, aka Mr. Jingles. Out of all of his roles in the series, his turn as Mr. Jingles is undoubtedly his most sympathetic. He is a janitor at Camp Redwood who is framed for the vile murders of nine campers. Dubbed Mr. Jingles, he is incarcerated in a psychiatric ward but returns to the camp to begin his murder spree after a successful escape.
Inevitably, he is killed, but like all great '80s slashers, he returns from the dead after serial killer Richard Ramirez makes him sell his soul to the Devil. From there, he joins Richard on his real-life murder spree before turning him in and deciding to live a normal life. But after Ramirez kills his wife, he's forced to return to Camp Redwood. There, he kills himself to ensure he can protect his infant son from Ramirez. Mr. Jingles is a killer, but he's also a tragic character wanting to repent for his mistakes.
Larry Bitterman (American Horror Stories)
In American Horror Stories' "Drive In," the story saves its main villain for the very end. Larry Bitterman is a film director who becomes obsessed with the effects of subliminal messaging after the release of The Exorcist. After endless research on sound waves and mind-altering studies like Project MKUltra, he creates the film Rabbit Rabbit. When watched, the movie turns its viewers to violence and rage, killing anyone near them. To many, this is demented, but to Bitterman, it's the pinnacle of cinema. Lynch plays the character with the same passion as any director. However, due to his obsession, the subject of his passions makes him seem even more unhinged than he lets on. To Bitterman, those against his work are trying to stifle art, and nothing will stop him from showing his film to the masses.
John Carroll Lynch is the glue that keeps American Horror Story together in every season he is in. While he isn't in all of them, his characters are often immortalized. American Horror Story: Cult even features a comic book based on Twisty. Each performance brings a new type of horror that isn't expected and delivered in a manner that only Lynch can bring. If his roles prove anything, it's that whenever he shows up, expect the unexpected.