Ariana Grande has totally pulled out of American Horror Story, and Ryan Murphy has explained why

Ryan Murphy has revealed why Ariana Grande ended up dropping out of American Horror Story, just days after the singer announced she’ll be taking a break from public life once her tour finishes at London’s O2 Arena.

Via YouTube

The producer has confirmed Ariana was originally lined up to appear in season 13 of American Horror Story, but she had already decided to slow down. Rather than replacing her, he’s decided to keep the role open in the hope she can join a future season instead.

Amid months of speculation about her health and appearance, the singer stressed on stage that the decision to step back wasn’t “reactive or impulsive” and was actually something she’d been planning “a long time ago.”

It now seems that break also meant stepping away from new acting projects.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy explained he first approached Ariana after she’d finished filming the Wicked movies.

“I love Ariana Grande. We’re great friends,” he said. “I had an idea and I came to her and she, very immediately, said, ‘I’m not sure because I think I’m going on tour.'”

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As plans for the tour became more demanding, Ariana realised fitting in another major TV production just wasn’t realistic.

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“When it came time to do that episode, I called her up and she was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to juggle the tour with this,'” Murphy recalled. “And I said, ‘OK, if you can’t, we can push to another season.’ She said, ‘Great.’ You have to be respectful. Who is busier than Ariana Grande? No one.”

Instead of giving the part to someone else, Murphy said he’s happy to wait until Ariana’s schedule allows her to take it on.

“It was a very big swing, but I might bring that back for another season, per Ariana’s availability,” he explained. “I think the world of her.”

This wouldn’t have been Ariana’s first Ryan Murphy project either. She previously appeared in Scream Queens back in 2015, and Murphy said he’d happily cast her again because of how much she loves horror.

Via FX

“Ariana is a big fan of horror,” he said. “She’s obviously done homages of that in her work; she did Scream Queens for me and loved the experience, and people love her in that show. So I will always work with her. I love her, and I support her.”

In a statement to People, Ariana’s representative said: “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.

“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

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Featured image credit: Nina Prommer/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock