‘American Horror Story’ Season 4 Spoilers: See What The Actor Behind Twisty The Clown, The ‘Freak Show’ Villain, Looks Like In Real Life [PHOTO]

“American Horror Story” viewers met a frightening new villain in the Season 4 premiere on Wednesday. From the same FX mini-series that brought us the Rubber Man and Bloody Face, comes Twisty the Clown --- a circus entertainer with a bad habit of murdering and kidnapping people.

Twisty the Clown is played by John Carroll Lynch. The 51-year-old actor is best known for his roles on “The Drew Carey Show,” the 1996 “Fargo” film, “Shutter Island,” “Gran Torino” and Body of Proof” – but viewers might not recognize him on “American Horror Story” thanks to some elaborate and terrifying makeup. The new villain made his debut in “Freak Show” wearing a tattered and dirty white and red costume. On his head appeared to be a bloody – almost scalped looking – wig with three tufts of colorful hair. While smeared makeup covered the top half of his face, a mask with a sadistic smile covered his mouth.

During the Season 4 premiere, Twisty the Clown was involved in a handful of disturbing moments. The first occurred on the shores of Lake Okeechobee when a young couple in the middle of a steamy hookup was interrupted by the villain. His appearance alone was frightening; however “American Horror Story” viewers had no idea what he was capable of … until he used his juggling pins to knock the two lovebirds unconscious. When the young woman came to, she discovered Twisty on top of her boyfriend – stabbing him repeatedly in the chest. She tried to make a run for it, but the clown went after her. He ultimately ended up locking her in a cage in an abandoned schoolbus hidden in the woods.

At least Twisty was kind enough to give her company in his secret lair. The crazy clown went on another murder spree, stabbing a husband and wife to death in their own home. But Twisty chose not to kill their young son, but instead lock him in a cage next to his first victim.

If his murders weren’t crazy enough, Twisty went off the deep end after a balloon popped while he was trying to perform for his two captives. He proceeded to trash the schoolbus, throwing balls and other objects at the frightened boy and woman.

“There’s a reason why Twisty is doing what he’s doing, and it will unfold over the course of the episodes,” Lynch told Cosmopolitan of his “American Horror Story” character. “He has a motive and in some ways he has a morality. In some ways his motives are strangely pure and strangely understandable to me. The actual aspect of what he’s doing, not so much. But he’s trying to work something out.”

“American Horror Story: Freak Show” airs on FX on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. Take a look at John Carroll Lynch without his Season 4 Twisty the Clown makeup :