Actor Denis O'Hare likened his character in American Horror Story: Freakshow to a billiard ball, and it would be wise for the other balls in the table to keep out of range.
"Stanley is the billiard ball that scatters the other balls," O'Hare said in an interview with The Toronto Sun.
There are three more episodes left in Freakshow and fans are on the edge of their seats, eager to find out if Stanley manages to get his hands on more of the beloved freaks. His former partner Maggie, played by Emma Roberts, seem to be bent on saving her newfound friends.
"Stanley really is the instigator," O'Hare said. "He's the engine of the season, because what he's doing is setting everything into motion, with his attempts to co-opt, murder, corral and change, weaving this spell around different people."
"For Stanley, oddly enough, we have those glimpses of him at the morbidity museum while they're doing a toast, and he's sort of assuming he's going to be feted, he's going to be the one who is called out for recognition," he added. "He wants to be accepted into larger culture. What Stanley wants is to be respected."
O'Hare played meaty characters in previous seasons of American Horror Story such as burn-damaged Larry in season one and doll-obsessed butler Spalding in season three. The actor actually admitted that he was not surprised about the revelation that all the seasons are somehow linked
"It didn't surprise me, because Ryan Murphy is an awfully clever guy," O'Hare said. "I know they put a lot of thinking into the resonances. The biggest, obvious resonance this year was Pepper (played by Naomi Grossman) being in both Asylum (the second season) and in our (current) season. But there are actually two other ones coming up that are very, very strong resonances which are fascinating."