We’re used to seeing Kim Kardashian in the headlines and all over social media, but it was a pretty big shock when it was revealed that the reality star would co-star in American Horror Story’s 12th season alongside scream queen Emma Roberts. In fact, many were upset with the casting decision, and Broadway vet Patti LuPone accused her of taking roles away from actors. Well, like it or not, Kardashian made her debut on September 20 as publicist Siobhan Corbyn, and I’m pleasantly surprised that the critics are pleasantly surprised about her “campy” and “vulgar” performance.
Spider season is upon us, as American Horror Story: Delicate‘s premiere introduced us to Emma Roberts’ Anna Victoria Alcott, who is thriving in her career while trying to conceive a child with husband Dexter Harding (Matt Czuchry) through IVF. Kim Kardashian already seems to be playing an important role as Anna’s closest confidante, and while the season is inspiring some pretty gross theories after “Multiply Thy Pain,” it sounds like I’m not the only one who’s intrigued about what Kardashian will continue to add to the ensemble.
Coleman Spilde of the Daily Beast says The Kardashians star is “far and away” the best part of American Horror Story’s 12th season so far, especially in the delivery of her deliciously vulgar first line. The critic writes:
It’s Kardashian who, based on Tuesday night’s premiere, is going to make this season truly worth watching. Her affected line readings and familiar face might make it hard to take the show completely seriously, but that’s exactly what AHS needs: a season that has given up on trying to be anything more than good, campy fun.
Anthony D’Alessandro of Deadline points out that Kim Kardashian may not be an actress, but if there’s anything she knows, it’s PR. For that reason, this role fits the reality star like a glove (one likely full of spiders). The critic says:
How’s Kim’s acting? She plays a dead-on Type A entertainment industry type who boosts her self-doubting client, telling her that her life and career are great. You feel like Kim is channeling her mom-ager Kris Jenner in a homage. She’s perfect for the part — everyone calm down, it’s not like Kim is playing Portia in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.
Patrick Ryan of USA TODAY isn’t impressed with AHS: Delicate overall, rating the premiere episode “Multiply Thy Pain” just one star and calling it “an exhausted riff on Rosemary’s Baby.” And while Ryan says not even Kim Kardashian is powerful enough to save the season, she is the only member of the ensemble so far to deliver on the high-camp potential. In the critic’s words:
The few times the premiere episode has a pulse come when Kardashian is onscreen. The shapewear mogul has long been called vapid and superficial by her critics. But here, she cleverly leans into that Valley girl persona, playing Anna’s concerned publicist Siobhan. She dryly eviscerates everyone from Hilary Swank to the directors of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and makes Waldorf out of word salad.
Joel Keller of Decider also isn’t as sure about the horror series’ 12th season as he is about Kim Kardashian’s role in it. But with solid performances by both her and Emma Roberts, it seems to be worth checking out, Keller says, and in regards to Ms. Kardashian:
Kim Kardashian is actually pretty decent as Siobhan. We discounted her acting skills, though it’s likely she has to do some degree of acting on her various reality shows, and we also forgot that she was pretty good when she hosted SNL. Siobhan is a good role for her, because she’s mostly there to be an aggressive publicist who is looking out for Anna as both her client and best friend. She can spew pop culture references with some credibility, and she’s a good counterweight to Roberts’ constantly-scared Anna.
Even the social media reactions to Kim Kardashian’s AHS: Delicate debut seem to skew positive, with this fan also raving about the way her character made her introduction:
give kim kardashian an academy award immediately. #AHSDelicate pic.twitter.com/cEIQ5giS6cSeptember 21, 2023
Another thinks it’s hilarious that everyone is so shocked that Kim Kardashian is a decent actor, because some people always knew she had it in her! This X user writes:
I love how everyone is saying ‘Kim wasn’t as bad as i expected her to be’ 😂 yall weren’t even giving the girl a chance & were already hating! 1st episode & yall are eating her up, AS YOU ALL SHOULD! I think I’m going to be in my STAN behavior this AHS: Delicate Season!
I’d say these are exactly the kinds of reactions one would hope for with stunt-casting like Kim Kardashian, and I am pretty excited to see what the rest of AHS Season 12 throws at the reality star. American Horror Story: Delicate airs Wednesday nights on FX at 10 p.m. ET, and streams the next day with a Hulu subscription. That’s also where you can find The Kardashians, whose Season 4 premiere is coming to the streaming service on Thursday, September 28.