Although an actor’s decision to return to a franchise is purely their own, it seems strange that Zachary Quinto is returning in American Horror Story season 11 after a 9-year hiatus from the series. It’s no secret that the cast and crew of today’s entertainment often move quickly, but sporadically, between projects, but it is still surprising when an actor returns to a show after such a long period. Even though Quinto's will not be the only face to reappear this season, his will certainly be a remarkable addition to the screen.
Quinto appeared in two previous seasons of the horror anthology; first as a side character in American Horror Story season 1, and again as one of the main characters in season 2. In American Horror Story: Murder House, Quinto played Chad, a Murder House ghost killed by the Rubber Man that had previously lived in the Harmon residence before he and his partner were murdered by Tate (Evan Peters). Then, in American Horror Story: Asylum, Quinto played Dr. Oliver Thredson, a court-appointed therapist to Kit (also Evan Peters), who has been accused of being “Bloody Face," a serial killer, and is later revealed to be the serial killer himself.
Many cast have held main and recurring roles in American Horror Story throughout its various seasons, especially Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson. While it’s unknown if there is a method to a particular actor’s casting in multiple seasons determined by interest or availability, some faces are more familiar to the audience of American Horror Story's season timeline than others. However, there is a strong possibility that Zachary Quinto was simply unavailable to accept more roles in the seasons following Asylum, as he has since participated in a wide variety of projects. Simultaneously, his range of projects suggests he might not have wanted to be tied down with the single franchise for loo long.
What Zachary Quinto Has Done Since American Horror Story: Asylum
2013 was an active year for Quinto. During this period, he starred both in American Horror Story: Asylum and in Star Trek: Into Darkness. Afterward, Quinto found himself in various roles spanning TV shows, video games, and animation. In 2015, Quinto played Neal Frank in Hannibal, a previous patient of the infamous cannibal. Later, Quinto appeared in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as Eli Rubin, a talent agent and rival to Jacqueline Voorhees (Jane Krakowski). After reprising his role as Commander Spock in Star Trek Beyond, which may allow Quinto a role in a sequel following Star Trek Beyond's timeline, Quinto also voiced the character in Star Trek: Dark Remnant in 2019, and soon followed this role with several other forays into voice acting. Most recently, Quinto has had roles in Big Mouth as Aiden, Matthew’s (Andrew Rannells) first boyfriend, and as Robot in Invincible.
After working in several mediums over the past several years, it will be interesting to see Quinto return to American Horror Story. This is especially true given the Emmy-nominated performance he gave in American Horror Story season 2. Although it is unknown whether he will be sharing the screen with any other alumni of the seasons Quinto has been in before, it has been confirmed that he’ll be working alongside American Horror Story. Regardless, Quinto’s return is sure to add another fantastic element to season 11 of American Horror Story.