14 hours ago
American Horror Story and The Nun star unrecognisable in Sky period drama
George and Bertha Russell's marriage is teetering on the brink in the third season of The Gilded Age, but one of the stars in the show first found fame in American Horror Story.
Taissa Farmiga, who plays socialite Gladys Russell in The Gilded Age, a series originally broadcast on HBO. In the third series, airing on Sky, Gladys has to grapple with the fallout from her parents' decision to betroth her to the Duke of Buckingham. But will she go ahead with the wedding?
That remains to be seen. However, back in 2011, shortly after making her acting debut in High Ground, Taissa took on the role of Violet Harmon in the first season of American Horror Story. She played the daughter of Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott).
READ MORE: Love Island Giorgio's age, job and famous sister as he enters the villa
READ MORE: Coronation Street's Claire Peacock 'returns' after 14 years but fans all say same thing
Violet's story ended in heartbreak when she took her own life to join her serial killer boyfriend Tate Langdon (Evan Peters), but Taissa reprised the role of Violet in the eighth season of American Horror Story. She even appeared in the anthology series as two different characters - Sophie Green and Zoe Benson.
Now starring in The Gilded Age, Taissa confessed that she had to immerse herself in the world of Downton Abbey to perfect her portrayal of Gladys.
"I started Watching Downton Abbey because I thought 'I have to brush up,'" she revealed to Joshua Horowitz in 2023 on his podcast Happy Sad Confused.
When she auditioned for the role of Gladys, Taissa candidly admitted that period dramas weren't exactly her cup of tea. "During my audition, they asked me if I was passionate about period pieces," she recalled, adding humorously: "I told them, 'I don't know. I'm a stoner, I watch Rick and Morty.'"
Taissa may have been the baby of the family, but she grew up witnessing her sister Vera Farmiga's ascent to stardom with standout roles in hits like The Conjuring series, Orphan, and Bates Motel. However, emulating her big sister's acting career was never Taissa's aspiration.
In her dreams, accountancy was Taissa's future profession until Vera roped her into making an appearance in Higher Ground, her first directorial project. Taissa, reflecting on her beginnings to Yahoo Movies in 2015, commented: "I was thrown into this world."
That single experience made her reconsider her path entirely. "After Higher Ground about six months went by and I went back to my normal life," Taissa reminisced.
"I was looking at community college classes for accounting. I wasn't jumping right into it, thinking, 'I have to be an actress.'" And just like that, everything changed.
Since redirecting her life course, Taissa has landed a variety of notable parts in both movies and series. Her filmography includes starring alongside Emma Watson in The Bling Ring, taking on the habit of Sister Irene in The Nun franchise, and even venturing into The Twilight Zone.
Taissa is also quite active on social media, especially on Instagram, where she boasts a following of 1.9 million fans. The 30 year old shares it all - from behind-the-scenes snaps and red carpet moments, to her adventures with producer husband Hadley Klein and her political opinions.
