Kathy Bates railed against her experience on the canceled NBC series "Harry's Law" at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday, declaring, "I think they treated us like shit."
Asked if it took a special project to get her back on a series after her experience on "Harry's Law," Bates replied, "I think they treated us like s—," adding, "they kicked us to the curb."
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"I think they disrespected us, Ii think they disrespected our 7 to 11 million viewers every week, and I think they're getting what they deserve," Bates added.
Bates was on hand to discuss her role on "American Horror Story: Coven," the upcoming third installment in FX's hit creep-fest. When Bates wasn't railing against her previous gig, there were some revelations about the upcoming season of the series, which is notoriously secretive about advance plot details.
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In the upcoming season, set in New Orleans, Sarah Paulson will play Cordelia. the daughter of Jessica Lange's Fiona. The season will shift through time, and not all of the characters will be witches, though Lange's character will be. Other characters will be historical figures.
Bates will play Madame LaLaurie, historically known as a Louisiana socialite and serial killer who became notorious for the torture and murder of black slaves. (If Bates' comments about NBC are any indication, she won't have any trouble with channeling the brutality of such a role.)
"AHS" newcomer Angela Bassett, who was also on the panel Friday, will portray Marie Laveau, who according to lore was a practitioner of voodoo in New Orleans.
While much of last season's "American Horror Story: Asylum" revolved around misogyny and its effect on women, executive producer Tim Minear unveiled this season's core themes.
"I think some of the bigger themes this year are oppression of minorities of all kinds, and within that idea, the idea of minority groups going after each other and doing the work of the larger culture for the larger culture," Minear said. "There's a very strong, feminist theme that runs throughout 'Coven' this year. There's also themes of race, and themes of oppression, and also a very strong theme of family, and specifically mothers and daughters."