American Horror Story Coven: Kathy Bates Talks Ancestral Connection To Madame LaLaurie And The Female Cast

As "American Horror Story: Coven" continues filming in New Orleans, cast member Kathy Bates talks about her potential connection to Madame LaLaurie, the historical figure she will be portraying in season 3.

"Now that that cat is out of the bag, one of the things I enjoyed reading about Madame LaLaurie is that my great-great-grandfather came from Dublin to New Orleans in the 1830s, and he became personal physician to Andrew Jackson," says Kathy Bates according to Screen Rant.

"And I read in the book on LaLaurie that his plantation was next door to theirs.  So, I was very curious to know whether my grandfather ever met her because I think he would have been there just before she left.  I thought that was interesting."

Madame Delphine LaLaurie, as previously reported, is a notorious serial killer who tortured, imprisoned, and murdered slaves while embodying the Louisiana socialite persona.

"My Southern accent has come roaring back. I went out for a drink with my friend, Jessica, after seeing the first season. And I said, 'You've got to get me on that show,'" recalls Kathy Bates.

"I thought it would be maybe a couple of episodes. So, I went in and sat down with Ryan [Murphy], and when he pitched this show to me, this little kid that lives inside all of us just started jumping up and down and running around. I said, 'I want to do it!' It just got me so excited that it washed most of the crap away. Clearly, there's some residue. But, it's delightful to be among such a glorious group of actors and have such magnificent material to play. I'm going on the record to say that we're going to knock your socks off."

But Kathy Bates is not the only one playing a real-life historical figure for "American Horror Story: Coven."

"American Horror Story: Coven" cast member Angela Bassett will be playing Marie Laveau, a voodoo priestess who was renowned in New Orleans.

"Well, I play Marie Laveau. It's been interesting, being in New Orleans, because there's such a regard and respect for who she was. She lived to about 80 years old, and she was a very influential person in the city. My character is based loosely on her," says Angela Bassett.