 | |
| Billie Dean Howard | |
| Continuity: | American Horror Story |
| Notability: | Recurring character |
| Type: | Psychic |
| Gender: | Female |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California |
| Status: | Alive |
| First: | "Piggy, Piggy" |
| Actor: | Sarah Paulson |
Billie Dean Howard is a fictional psychic, and a recurring character featured in episodes of the FX Network television series American Horror Story. She first appeared in the sixth episode of the season one storyline, hence known as "Murder House", in an episode titled "Piggy, Piggy". She made three appearances in season one, and returned for a guest appearance in season five's "Hotel", and season eight's, "Apocalypse". The role of Billie Dean Howard was played by actress Sarah Paulson.
Biography[]
Billie Dean Howard was a psychic who used her talents for profit. Living in Los Angeles, California, she became a veritable Miss Cleo, who advertised herself as the "Medium to the Stars". Billie Dean Howard became friends with an older woman named Constance Langdon and served as her personal psychic. [1]
Constance employed Billie Dean's services to contact the spirit of her late son, Tate Langdon. She again did likewise, after Constance's daughter, Adelaide Langdon was struck by a car on Halloween night. Billie Dean was able to see ghosts in their natural state and perceived Violet Harmon at her residence at 1119 Westchester Place after she had died. [2]
A few years later, Billie Dean's career blossomed and she hosted her own television series on Lifetime. She went to the Hotel Cortez where she was asked to commune with the spirit of a deceased guest named Tristan Duffy. [3]
She returned to the "Murder House" at 1119 Westchester Place shortly after Constance Langdon became a ghost within the house itself. She met a witch named Madison Montgomery and a warlock named Behold Chablis, who had come to the Murder House inquiring about the Antichrist, who had been conceived at the house. [4]
Years later, in 2022, Billie Dean Howard returned to the Hotel Cortez to film a TV special on Halloween night about the ghosts that resided there. She encountered the ghosts of several famous serial killers including John Lowe, Jeffrey Dahmery, Richard Ramirez, and Aileen Wuornos, as well as a vampire named Ramona Royale. The ghosts terrorized her and threatened her with bodily home should she reveal anything about their presence to the public. The threat was enforced by Ramona Royale, who had the ability to leave the hotel and come after her. [5]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Billie Dean Howard was created by director Michael Uppendahl and writer Jessica Sharzer based on concepts originally developed by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.
- This is the first character that actress Sarah Paulson plays on American Horror Story. She will go no to appear in each season of the series as a different character, sometimes playing multiple characters within a season. She will take on a more central role in season two as Lana Winters in "Asylum". In "Coven" she plays Cordelia Goode. In "Freak Show" she plays conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. In "Hotel" she plays Sally McKenna. For season six's "Roanoke", she plays the dual roles of Shelby Miller and Audrey Tindall, as well as reprising her role as Lana Winters. In season seven's "Cult", she plays Ally Mayfair-Richards. For season eight's "Apocalypse", she plays Wilhemina Venable as well as reprising the roles of Cordelia Goode and Billie Dead Howard.
- Billie Dean Howard is the first psychic featured on American Horror Story. Another psychic from the show is Cricket Marlowe, who appeared in season six's "Roanoke".
Appearances[]
- American Horror Story: Piggy, Piggy ("Murder House")
- American Horror Story: Spooky Little Girl ("Murder House")
- American Horror Story: Birth ("Murder House")
- American Horror Story: Be Our Guest ("Hotel")
- American Horror Story: Return to Murder House ("Apocalypse")