The FX series The Beauty debuted on January 21, offering a provocative and unsettling take on society’s obsession with physical perfection. Starring Evan Peters among a diverse ensemble including Rebecca Hall, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Ramos, and Jeremy Pope, the show adapts Ryan Murphy’s vision from the graphic novel of the same name. It delves into a world where beauty transforms into a contagious virus, upending economies and identities across global cities like Paris, Venice, Rome, and New York. The series weaves together themes of corporate greed, FBI investigations, and the consequences of a miraculous cure, creating an overwhelming narrative that demands attention.
The Unrestrained Vision Behind the Series
The Beauty resists neat explanations, instead throwing viewers into a whirlwind of body horror, satire, and espionage thriller elements. Rebecca Hall recalled her first meeting with Ryan Murphy, describing the project as wildly unconventional.
He took me out for breakfast and gave me the pitch of what it was,
Hall stated.
And it sounded wild and insane and completely unhinged in the best possible way. And I was like, ‘Who’s not gonna watch this?’ I mean, I can’t think of anyone who isn’t gonna want to watch this. So I was just excited to be a part of it.
This tone of bold excess extends to the show’s treatment of bodies, frequently presented both as spectacle and statement. Peters remarked with humor,
With Ryan, generally, there’s a lot of butts in the shows,
showing the creator’s trademark approach to visual provocations. Hall agreed, noting,
You know, it’s on brand. He told me, and I was like, ‘OK, fine. I’m OK with it.’
Themes of Identity, Power, and Corporate Influence
For both Hall and Peters, the series’ exploration of beauty, identity, and corporate control resonated deeply. Hall said,
These are things that I think about anyway,
emphasizing how the show’s core themes aligned with her personal reflections. Peters expressed particular surprise at how closely the corporate intrigue mirrored real-world economics, remarking,
The corporation’s storyline and that side of things was pretty eye-opening for me,
and continued,
Just thinking about the billions, hundreds of billions, trillions to be made off this industry. So it’s pretty mind-blowing.
Global Locations Enhance the Story’s Scale and Impact
The series makes deliberate use of its international settings to heighten both the narrative stakes and atmosphere. Hall described filming early mornings in Venice as surreal, recounting,
Going to work in a water taxi in Venice as your method of transport at 4 a.m. when the sun is coming up over the Grand Canal is a pretty peak life experience,
which added to the series’ immersive sensibility. Peters compared the constant location shifts to a spy thriller, saying,
It kind of did feel like a Bond movie,
and noted,
It was exciting to go to these different locations. But it also just opened up the scope of the story. It raised the stakes. It became a global issue.
Setting Up for More: The Series as an Origin Story
The first season of The Beauty functions as an introduction to this complex universe rather than a closure. Peters explained,
The comic book series starts in a world that sort of already had The Beauty out in it,
framing the show as a prelude.
So this is really almost an origin story of The Beauty and how it all started. Hopefully there’s a season two, because I think that’s a really fun world that the comic book series explored.
The potential for continuation remains open, teasing further exploration of the unsettling world where enhanced beauty becomes a global phenomenon.
Personal Reflections on The Beauty’s Impact
The cast discussed how they personally relating to the show’s premise. When asked if they would use The Beauty virus if it existed without its catastrophic side effects, Hall responded thoughtfully,
I’m not against whatever anyone needs to do to make themselves feel more like themselves,
adding,
But I suspect if I was to take The Beauty the way it pans out, I would just be a completely other person, which I’m not sure I’m comfortable with. So I’m kind of actually all right with me.
Peters kept his answer simple, saying,
I would just want it to cure the back pain,
and clarified,
That’s what I was latching on to. I’m the same person. Just fix the back pain.
Future Prospects for Evan Peters and Franchise Talks
The conversation shifted to Peters’ possible return to Ryan Murphy projects, including the long-standing anthology American Horror Story. While details remain intentionally vague, Peters shared,
I don’t know much,
but highlighted,
I know that Jessica Lange is back, which is incredible. He’s getting all of the alumni back, which sort of maybe opens it up to that. But we’ll see.
The topic of returning to Marvel roles also arose. Both Peters, known for his portrayal of Quicksilver in the X-Men films, and Hall, who appeared as Maya Hansen in Iron Man 3, joked about the heroes’ reversible fates. Hall joked,
I’m technically dead, so bring him back,
with Peters adding,
They can always bring you back,
while Hall recounted how she was told,
Yeah, I remember them saying that. And I remember hearing one of the Marvel guys in the back when I finished the shot at the end being like, ‘You’re never dead in the Marvel universe. We can reassemble your particles in cyberspace.
The Show’s Release and Continuing Impact
The Beauty launched with three episodes on FX and Hulu, streaming new episodes weekly. Its chaotic narrative and intense themes place it among Ryan Murphy’s most daring works to date, pushing audiences beyond comfort zones into a realm where physical perfection becomes both a commodity and a curse. Whether the show extends beyond its first season remains to be seen, but its establishment as a compelling origin story suggests that the unsettling journey has only just begun.
