American Horror Story: Hotel is the fifth season of the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story. It premiered on October 7, 2015, and concluded January 13, 2016. The series was renewed in October 2014, with the subtitle Hotel being announced in February 2015. Hotel marks the first season to not feature series mainstay Jessica Lange. Returning cast from previous seasons of the series include: Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Denis O'Hare, Lily Rabe, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Chloë Sevigny, Finn Wittrock, Wes Bentley, Gabourey Sidibe, Mare Winningham, Matt Bomer, John Carroll Lynch, and Anthony Ruivivar, along with new cast members Lady Gaga, Cheyenne Jackson, and Max Greenfield. Breaking from the anthological format, like Freak Show, the season is interconnected to the first and third seasons, and features an appearance by the Murder House, its original owner Dr. Charles Montgomery (Matt Ross), its realtor Marcy (Christine Estabrook), and the psychic Billie Dean Howard (Paulson), as well as the appearance of the witch Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe).