‘American Horror Story’ Season 6 Theories: What Does ‘Asylum’ Character Lana Winters’ Return Mean For Audrey?

Viewers are deep in Season 6 of “American Horror Story,” which recently shook things up by switching up the plot and introducing a whole host of new characters. It seems, however, that there are several more fresh faces to come in future episodes.

On Monday, “American Horror Story” creator Ryan Murphy announced the return of Lana Winters, Sarah Paulson’s character from Season 2’s “Asylum.” In the show Paulson played a journalist, held at Briarcliff Manor for trying to publicly expose the truth about the facility in the hopes of elevating her career. It is not clear what her role on the show will entail nor how Murphy and the “American Horror Story” writers were able to integrate her into the “My Roanoke Nightmare” cast.

The new addition to the cast has raised questions among “American Horror Story” fans about what Lana being added to Season 6 means for Audrey, who is also played by Paulson. In previous seasons Murphy and the show’s writers have found ways to cast one actor as two different roles. For example, in Season 5 — “Hotel” — Paulson played both Miranda and Bridget. The pair did not appear in scenes together for obvious reasons. While this is purely speculation, we theorize that either Audrey and Lana will never cross paths on “American Horror Story” Season 6 or Audrey will not survive the farm house.

Winters will be the second character Paulson has played in Season 6 of the FX original series — third if you count her portrayal of Shelby in the first half of the season. During episode 6 a twist revealed to “American Horror Story” viewers that they had been watching a reenactment all along, meaning that none of the characters were who they seemed to be. Paulson is revealed to be playing an English character named Audrey who is married to Rory (Evan Peters), formerly Edward Philippe Mott. The real Shelby (Lily Rabe) and her husband Matt (Andre Holland) have split because she was unfaithful, turning to Dominic (Cuba Gooding Jr.) — the man who played her husband in the reenactment. Lee (Adina Porter) is also back in the house and is at odds with everyone, including Monet (Angela Bassett), who played her in the first five episodes of the season.

While this is one of the first callbacks to “Asylum,” it is hardly the first time the “American Horror Story” team has paid tribute to past seasons in Season 6. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly on Oct. 18, Murphy set the record straight about Lady Gaga’s elusive character in the current installment of the show. He said that Scathatch is the first supreme, much like Fiona (Jessica Lange) in “Coven.” Murphy and the “American Horror Story” writers also paid tribute to “Freak Show” in their introduction of Edward Philippe Mott, a direct decedent of Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock).

To find out definitively how Lana will fit into the “American Horror Story” Season 6 cast, tune in to FX Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EDT.