Orlando Jones is stepping into Papa Legba for American Horror Story: 13, taking over the role Lance Reddick originated before his sudden death at 60.
Reddick originated the role in Coven and returned for Apocalypse, making the soul-dealing gatekeeper one of the franchise’s most chilling figures with his deep voice and precise stillness. He died March 17, 2023, at 60. RIP Papa Legba.
Jones played the trickster god Anansi on American Gods, another ancient, witty, dangerous deity rooted in African diaspora mythology, which lines up closely with the deals-and-souls energy Papa Legba runs on.
AHS: 13 is built as an Avengers-style crossover pulling characters from across every season to face one ultimate evil, with the Coven witches and Marie Laveau heavily featured. That makes Papa Legba, who trades immortality and power for annual tributes of souls, a natural thread tying the timelines together.
The 13-episode season premieres September 24 on FX and Hulu.
