Remember when American Horror Story (the Murder House season) brought in historical figure The Black Dahlia, the starlet who was murdered, as one of the many victims of the evil in the house? In the upcoming Coven season, the show is taking that idea and expanding upon it, as two of the recurring main characters are based on actual people.

That’s just one of the wee bits o’ info revealed about the upcoming story we’ll be seeing from our pals at American Horror Story, as was revealed at the recent TCA panel via THR. Kathy Bates will be playing historical figure/socialite serial murderer Marie Delphine LaLaurie, and Angela Bassett will be playing a character “loosely based” on historical figure/voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, in the upcoming American Horror Story: Coven.

LaLaurie was a popular Lousiana socialite in the early 1800s, until firefighters discovered tortured slaves in her basement. Laveau was known as The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans and was a very powerful figure, also in the 1800s.

Jessica Lange will be playing a witch by the name of Fiona, and Sarah Paulson‘s character is Cordelia, Fiona’s daughter, and very purposefully named after King Lear’s daughter in the Shakespeare play.

Executive producer Tim Minear was on hand for the panel and said this about the season:

While there is a strong feminist theme that runs throughout Coven this year, there are also themes of race, oppression and there is a very strong theme of family, specifically mothers and daughters… This year is a drama but there is a lot of humor, and we are embracing a kind of velocity and fun with the series. It’s not the same as it was the past two years, but I think it can be more fun for the audience.

Ryan Murphy took a quick break from shooting the series on location in New Orleans and was in attendance at an Emmy nominees panel shortly after the TCA panel. He had this to say about the season, according to Vulture:

The witches of Salem, the smart ones, got out very early and they were none of the ones who were burned. They all gravitated toward New Orleans, where they now live, and every generation has a great witch who has the most powers of them all, and that’s called the Supreme. Ms. Jessica Lange is the Supreme…

It really is about the witches of Salem pitted against voodoo witches. It’s been a centuries-long feud and it’s up to Jessica Lange and Angela Bassett to mend the fence.

Murphy subsequently tweeted out these two excellent bits of casting news, for fans of the first season:

Very pleased to announce that the Emmy nominated Denis O’Hare is joining AHS: Coven.

— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) July 27, 2013

 

Very happy to announce the lovely and talented Alexandra Breckenridge will be joining AHS: Coven.

— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) August 2, 2013

 

As a quick reminder, here they are from Season 1:

The first two seasons of this anthology series are my two favorite horror series of all time. Bring on number three.

American Horror Story: Coven, starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Angela Bassett, Patti Lupone, Evan Peters, Gabourey Sidibe, Taissa Farmiga, Emma Roberts, Denis O’Hare, and Alexandra Breckinridge, premieres this fall on FX.