Jessica Lange Discusses King Kong Rejection, American Horror Story Return

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The actress opens up about her early career setback and reveals details about her multiple roles in the anthology series' new installment.

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Jessica Lange revealed that she was initially turned down for "King Kong" before ultimately landing the role that became her big break, a detail she shared during a stop on LIVE WITH KELLY AND MARK. The Oscar-winning actress used the appearance to look back on a pivotal early moment in her career while also previewing new work that finds her returning to a franchise closely tied to her more recent television output.

In the first clip, Lange walks hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos through the rejection she faced before ultimately being cast in "King Kong," a role that would go on to define the start of her screen career. Her account gives a candid look at how close she came to missing out on the part that first put her in front of movie audiences.

The second appearance shifts entirely to the present, with Lange discussing her return to "American Horror Story" for its thirteenth season. She tells Ripa and Consuelos about reprising four separate characters within the new season, and speaks to what she specifically wanted to accomplish this time around within the anthology series' shifting format.

Together, the two clips trace a career arc from an early professional setback to a current role that finds Lange taking on multiple characters within a single season, underscoring the range she has built since that first "King Kong" casting decision. The pairing gives viewers both the origin story and the latest chapter of her ongoing work in film and television.

Lange's stop on LIVE WITH KELLY AND MARK adds her voice to a run of recent guests on the program, following appearances built around similarly personal career reflections and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from working actors.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Jessica-Lange-on-Her-KING-KONG-Rejection-and-Returning-for-AMERICAN-HORROR-STORY-13-20260922)._