ryan murphy thriller series beauty The film follows two FBI partners, played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, as they investigate a mysterious sexually transmitted disease that seems to make people more physically attractive, but is ultimately fatal. At the center of it all is tech billionaire Byron Frost (Ashton Kutcher), who is working to develop and sell beauty-altering drugs around the world. In other words, it heats up instantly.
Lux Pascal joins the series as Clara, a scientist caught up in the early stages of Frost’s controversial body-altering drug. This episode plays like a prequel, revealing how products extend beyond the lab and into the lives of people desperate to change the way they look and feel.
For Pascal, joining the series was a full-circle moment.
“I was so excited,” she told Gaity. “I first heard about this from my agent…and those tapes rarely actually go anywhere. But this time I was lucky enough to book the job and was so excited to be a part of Ryan Murphy’s world for the first time.”
She added that Murphy’s creative legacy made the occasion even more meaningful. “I’ve been watching his work since I was tall…I don’t know an actor who wouldn’t want to be a part of Murphy’s world.”
Pascal’s episode, titled “Beautiful Patient Zero,” explores the relationship between Clara and her colleague Mike and the emotional motivations behind their desire for change. The story examines body image, identity, and the dangerous allure of perfection, and these themes immediately resonated with Pascal.
“I love being a part of the prequel story of how it all started,” she said. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions… This virus and desire for perfection has a heart that just wants to be loved and be part of the world.”
Introducing spoilers for episode 6
The episode flashes back to the early days of Frost’s lab, when employees began to understand the true potential of the drugs being developed behind closed doors. Among them are Mike (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Clara (Pastor Yolanda). These two colleagues are navigating their own struggles with identity, self-worth, and how the world sees them.
As curiosity turns to despair, Mike decides to try the formula for himself. The ensuing changes are one of the clearest examples yet of a drug’s action, altering a person’s physical shape and suggesting how far its effects extend beyond the laboratory.
As a trans woman, Clara is more cautious about trying it out. She struggles with whether the drug can truly reflect who she is, fearing that it will misunderstand rather than affirm her identity. Ultimately, she decides to take the risk, and the moment she finally sees herself afterwards becomes one of the episode’s most emotional beats, centering on recognition, relief, and the complicated hope that the drug represents.
Pascal appears in the episode as Clara after her transformation.
“Imagine that you want to manifest a certain shape, the shape of your dreams, and all of a sudden you’re staring at it in the mirror…literally in the blink of an eye,” she said. “It’s incredible. It’s so powerful… It’s deeply connected to myself and a lot of people.”
For Yolanda, the role was deeply personal from the beginning. “It was such an honor to play Clara and I felt so deeply for her,” she told Gately. “She felt like me. She felt like she was part of my life story,” she said, calling the episode “a very tender story and very trans-affirming” amid the series’ dark themes.
The emotional weight of Clara’s journey was felt especially strongly in the scenes where she confronts identity and self-awareness. Lines like “If I’m the woman I know I am, I want to walk the world like that. I don’t want to hide” held a special place in her heart.
“It shook me to my core…It was like a multidimensional experience. I felt so loved and seen in that moment.”
Beyond the characters, the experience of filming the episode had its own emotional weight. Pascal described his day on set as surreal yet realistic.
“It felt like walking onto the set of the Ryan Murphy show for the first time…I tapped into that appreciation a little bit,” she said. “Lax, who was 7 years old, saw the Ryan Murphy show for the first time and thought, “Oh, I wish I could have been on it once,” and she ended up being on it.”
As Yolanda looks to viewers experience this episode, she hopes Clara’s story resonates beyond the screen. “I hope this work inspires people to live their best lives, live their own lives, and let their light shine.”
ryan murphy thriller beauty The episode featuring Pascal and Pastor Yolanda is currently streaming. The series airs on FX and is available on Hulu, with new episodes released every Wednesday at 9pm ET/PT.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
