Following “Drive In,” American Horror Stories episode 4, titled “The Naughty List,” has a new group of notable cast members and characters. “The Naughty List” follows a group of four men in their mid-to-late-20s who are internet video stars and influencers, living together in the “Bro House,” a mansion where they perform skits and play pranks on people in public for views. The influencers featured in the American Horror Story spinoff go in too far over their head when trying to revamp their reputation, humiliating a mall Santa who ends up terrorizing them.
The American Horror Stories episode is a spin on the current internet fads and cultural milieu among the youth, where Tik Tok and YouTube stars rise to riches and fame for making popular videos online. The boys are so obsessed with going viral, getting plenty of views, and increasing their subscriber base that they report to morally compromised tactics, including filming a man committing suicide. In an almost Black Mirror-like horror twist, Ryan Murphy explores the horrifyingly gruesome consequences that could come from modern internet culture.
American Horror Stories episode 4, following “Rubber Woman” and the cursed movie-inspired “Drive In,” features a small cast with several former Ryan Murphy actors, though most are new to American Horror Story. Here’s a breakdown of the new group of cast and characters for American Horror Stories’ “The Naughty List.”
Danny Trejo As Santa
The villain of “The Naughty List” happens to be a fake mall Santa Claus, who seeks revenge on the Bro House after they humiliate him at the mall’s display. “Santa” is a serial killer who murders mall Santas and takes their place, changing his M.O. to torture the influencers after their prank-gone-wrong. Danny Trejo, Santa's actor, is notable for his frequent collaborations with director Robert Rodriguez, including his recurring character Machete and separate roles in Heat, Con Air, and Desperado.
Kevin McHale As Barry
Barry is the Bro House's tech guy who is reluctantly put behind the camera for most of American Horror Stories' video antics. He’s the most morally inclined of the group, being hesitant with all of the problematic videos the rest of the boys come up with. Barry is played by Kevin McHale, who had collaborated with Ryan Murphy since 2009 when he starred in the teen musical series Glee as Artie Abrahams. Before Glee, McHale was a lead singer in the boy band Not Like Them (NTL).
Dyllon Burnside As James
James, played by Dyllon Burnside, is one of the newer members of American Horror Stories' Bro House, having had his own successful YouTube account in Florida before being recruited by the boys. Burnside is best known for starring in Ryan Murphy’s series Pose as Ricky.
Charles Melton As Wyatt
One of the Bro House’s core members, American Horror Stories character Wyatt, is portrayed by Charles Melton. Wyatt loves to surf and drink and brags about having been pre-med before becoming an influencer. Melton is notable for his prominent role as Reggie Mantle in the teen drama series Riverdale. Melton also previously collaborated with Ryan Murphy on AHS: Hotel as Mr. Wu.
Nico Greetham As Zinn
Zinn is the leader of American Horror Stories’ Bro House, who is also the most reckless and controlling of the group. The problems in “The Naughty List” typically come from Zinn’s bad ideas, whose priority to get the group’s subscriber base back up leads to terrible consequences with the mall Santa. Zinn is portrayed by Nico Greetham, best known for playing Nick in Netflix’s The Prom and Calvin/The Yellow Ninja Power Ranger in Power Rangers Ninja Steel.
Taneka Johnson as Detective Gibbs
“The Naughty List” features a police investigation led by Detective Gibbs, who contacts the Bro House group to help her find the serial killer mall Santa after he's featured in one of their prank videos. Detective Gibbs, played by Taneka Johnson, whose credits before American Horror Stories include ER and Any Day Now.