While not a lot is known about the plot ofAmerican Horror Storiesseason 4’s “The Thing Under The Bed,” the outing’s cast can tell viewers a little about its story.American Horror Storiesbegan in 2021. A spinoff from the successfulhorror anthology seriesAmerican Horror Story,American Horror Storiesoffers viewers shorter, standalone horror stories in the vein of classic anthology shows likeTales From The CryptorTales from The Dark Side. The series aired a 7-episode season 1 in 2021 and an 8-episode season 2 in 2022 before season 3 was split in 2023.
American Horror Stories Season 4: Release Date, Cast, Stories, Trailer & Everything We Know
American Horror Stories season 4 will bring a fresh batch of standalone tales from Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story universe to Hulu.
The first four episodes ofAmerican Horror Storiesseason 3 arrived in October 2023, while the last five will air in October 2024. One of these, “The Thing Under The Bed,” follows a young woman who tries to prove she is innocent by revealing the dark secrets of her hometown. Per its synopsis, “The Thing Under The Bed” tells the story of “A grieving wife” who “Peels back the sinister history of her neighborhood in an attempt to prove her innocence.” Pursued by sinister forces, this heroine must stop an unseen evil before it is too late.
Debby Ryan as Mary
Date of Birth: July 25, 2025
Born in Alabama, Debby Ryan is mostly known for her roles in the Disney Channel’sJessieandThe Suite Life on Deck, Netflix’sInsatiable, and the moviesNight TeethandTurtles All The Way Down. Ryan’s career began early when she appeared onBarney & Friendsin 2006. Her first major role was as Bailey Pickett, the love interest of Cole Sprouse’s Cody inThe Suite Life on Deck. Ryan got a Disney Channel series of her own in 2011,Jessie, which lasted until 2015. Since then, Ryan’s biggest parts were lead roles in Netflix’s divisive dark comedyInsatiableand thevampire horror movieNight Teeth.
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2011-2015
Patty
2018-2019
Not a lot is known about Ryan’s role in “The Thing Under The Bed,” although viewers can reasonably assume she plays the wronged wife at the story’s center. Ryan’s character is likely to be named Mary, considering the cast list includes Mileiah Vega as “Young Mary” and the promotional materials imply her character has a traumatic past. Only time will tell whether Mary can uncover whatever dark secrets her community has tried to cover up in the years since her childhood.
Jeff Hiller has appeared in30 Rock,Ugly Betty,Community,Bored to Death,Psych,Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, andCrazy Ex-Girlfriend,
Jeff Hiller in an Unknown Role
Date of Birth: 1975/1976
Born in San Antonio, Jeff Hiller is best known for the role of Mr. Whitely inAmerican Horror Story: NYC. “The Thing Under The Bed” sees the actor return to the spooky franchise, but horror isn’t necessarily where Hiller has spent most of his screen CV. A mainstay in television comedy, Hiller has appeared in30 Rock,Ugly Betty,Community,Bored to Death,Psych,Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell,Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,Broad City,Difficult People, andUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
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2022
Chuck
Despite how much the star’s work leans toward the comedic, Hiller has also had roles inEvil,The Watcher, andFBI: Most Wanted. Since 2022, he has starred alongside Bridget Everett in the dramedySomebody Somewhere. That series sees Hiller play the heroine’s colleague and friend, but his role inAmerican Horror Storiesis likely to take him down a darker path.
Supporting Cast and Characters
Mileiah Vega, Phoenix Carnevale, and Erin Beirnard Round Out The Cast
Alongside Hiller and Ryan, “The Thing Under The Bed” includes a sparse supporting cast, judging byIMDB’s listing for the episode. This could be indicative of the episode’s storyline, as it might mean Ryan’s character spends some of the story alone or with only Hiller’s character for company. Mileiah Vega plays “Young Mary,” Phoenix Carnevale plays a Reporter, and Erin Beirnard plays a Nurse. These character names alone don’t give away much, although the presence of a nurse and a reporter suggests a hospital stay and an event that earns media attention within the episode’s story.
Mary’s younger self may end up hospitalized after an attack by the eponymous monster, only for her to go back to this traumatic event as an adult after the death of her husband. Ryan’s character might have been blamed for a death in her childhood that was really the thing under the bed’s doing, and this cycle might occur again with her husband and force her to confront her past as a result. If this is the case, Hiller’sAmerican Horror Storiescharacter could be an authority figure, like a police officer or doctor, who doubts her version of events.
