Evan Peters stars in FX’s bold, provocative series The Beauty. [Image Source: DREAMSTIME]
Ryan Murphy’s latest series, The Beauty, starring Evan Peters, premiered on January 21 on FX and Hulu, immediately challenging audiences with a blend of body horror, corporate intrigue, and global disease outbreak. Set across locations like Paris, Venice, Rome, and New York, the show explores a world where physical perfection spreads contagiously, posing complex questions about identity, power, and greed. Evan Peters The Beauty brings a provocative and unsettling narrative that resists simple explanation, mixing intense visual spectacle with an expansive espionage thriller structure.
The Unfolding Story of Perfection as a Viral Phenomenon
The Beauty is inspired by a graphic novel and transports viewers into a universe where a man-made virus turns beauty into an epidemic that reshapes society. Rather than offering straightforward storytelling, the series thrives on sensory overload, merging satirical tones with visceral imagery. The narrative universe is populated not only by Peters but also by Rebecca Hall, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Ramos, and Jeremy Pope among others. Their characters navigate a chaotic landscape marked by FBI investigations, unchecked corporate ambition, and a deadly miracle cure, creating a dizzying blend of horror, satire, and thriller.
Actors React to Being Part of Ryan Murphy’s Audacious Project
Rebecca Hall described her initial meeting with Ryan Murphy as a pivotal moment that sold her on the show’s daring concept.
Image of: Evan Peters
“He took me out for breakfast and gave me the pitch of what it was,”
Hall recalled, continuing,
“And it sounded wild and insane and completely unhinged in the best possible way. And I was like, ‘Who’s not gonna watch this?’ I mean, I can’t think of anyone who isn’t gonna want to watch this. So I was just excited to be a part of it.”
Both Hall and Peters embraced the show’s lack of limits, especially in how it confronts the audience with the human body as a site of spectacle and subversion. Peters noted humorously,
“With Ryan, generally, there’s a lot of butts in the shows,”
a sentiment Hall affirmed, saying,
“You know, it’s on brand. He told me, and I was like, ‘OK, fine. I’m OK with it.’”
Exploring Themes of Identity and Corporate Power Through Body Horror
For Hall, The Beauty offered a new prism on ideas she already pondered deeply.
“These are things that I think about anyway,”
she explained, adding,
Certainly as an actor, certainly as a woman. I was just intrigued and excited to see it dealt with in the way that it is.”
Peters found the depiction of corporate greed strikingly realistic.
“The corporation’s storyline and that side of things was pretty eye-opening for me,”
he shared.
“Just thinking about the billions, hundreds of billions, trillions to be made off this industry. So it’s pretty mind-blowing.”
The series weaves these concerns through sprawling international settings, grounding its science-fiction elements in recognizable global power struggles.
The Impact of International Locations on the Series’ Atmosphere
The production’s choice to film in multiple real cities adds authenticity and cinematic scope to its storytelling. Rebecca Hall described the surreal experience of shooting early mornings in Venice:
“Going to work in a water taxi in Venice as your method of transport at 4 a.m. when the sun is coming up over the Grand Canal is a pretty peak life experience,”
she said. Peters likened the feel of the show to a classic spy thriller, explaining,
“It kind of did feel like a Bond movie. It was exciting to go to these different locations. But it also just opened up the scope of the story. It raised the stakes. It became a global issue.”
This global dimension enhances the series’ thematic concerns about the far-reaching consequences of scientific breakthroughs and corporate machinations.
Season One as an Origin Story Setting Up Future Possibilities
Rather than concluding its storyline, the first season of The Beauty establishes foundational lore. Evan Peters described the series as a prequel, focused on how the beauty virus emerged.
“The comic book series starts in a world that sort of already had The Beauty out in it,”
he said.
“So this is really almost an origin story of The Beauty and how it all started. Hopefully there’s a season two, because I think that’s a really fun world that the comic book series explored.”
This open-ended narrative suggests that the show is primed for further exploration of its provocative themes and intricate worldbuilding in future seasons.
Personal Reflections on the Fictional Cure and Its Real-Life Implications
Both actors were asked if they would personally embrace the fictional virus if it existed without harmful side effects. Hall expressed reluctance:
“I’m not against whatever anyone needs to do to make themselves feel more like themselves,”
she said.
“But I suspect if I was to take The Beauty the way it pans out, I would just be a completely other person, which I’m not sure I’m comfortable with. So I’m kind of actually all right with me.”
Peters responded with a practical wish:
“I would just want it to cure the back pain,”
he said.
“That’s what I was latching on to. I’m the same person. Just fix the back pain.”
These candid reflections highlight the personal complexities embedded in the show’s broader questions about transformation and identity.
Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall on Other Projects and the Marvel Universe
The discussion eventually turned to Peters’ potential return to the American Horror Story franchise. While remaining vague, he hinted at an intriguing reunion of past characters.
“I don’t know much,”
Peters admitted.
“I know that Jessica Lange is back, which is incredible. He’s getting all of the alumni back, which sort of maybe opens it up to that. But we’ll see.”
When asked about their Marvel Cinematic Universe roles, both actors joked about the fluidity of death in superhero films. Hall, who portrayed Maya Hansen in Iron Man 3, said,
“I’m technically dead, so bring him back,”
to which Peters replied,
“They can always bring you back.”
Hall recalled hearing from Marvel staff,
“You’re never dead in the Marvel universe. We can reassemble your particles in cyberspace.”
Streaming Details and What Lies Ahead for ‘The Beauty’
The Beauty launched with three episodes and continues to release new weekly installments on both FX and Hulu. As a boundary-pushing blend of body horror, thriller, and social commentary, it offers a unique viewing experience that challenges viewers to rethink beauty, power, and control in a fractured world. While its future remains uncertain, the show’s first season lays the groundwork for stories that could expand the rich and unsettling world crafted by Ryan Murphy, with Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall among the key faces bringing it to life.
