Jonathan Sim
The flash of cameras illuminated the red carpet at the Museum of Modern Art as the creative force behind The Beauty gathered to celebrate the arrival of a new era in sci-fi body horror.
Created by Ryan Murphy and Matt Hodgson, the series—set to premiere January 21, 2026, on FX and Hulu—explores a world gripped by a sexually transmitted treatment that promises physical perfection through genetic modification. However, as the drug’s lethal side effects begin to surface, FBI agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) find themselves navigating a landscape of public panic and corporate conspiracy.
Stepping into the role of tech billionaire Byron Forst/The Corporation, Ashton Kutcher reflected on the initial mystery surrounding his part in the production. “My first reaction was, ‘Where is my character?’ because I read the first episode first and I didn’t understand what I was playing; it simply wasn’t there.” After consulting with Murphy, the trajectory of the series became clear. “I started to get the tone of the show, and I think I read episode four and went, ‘Aha, I understand the tone of the show and I understand this character.'”
Kutcher emphasized the precision of the writing, noting, “Holy crap, this guy knows how to build a character in a moment. Ryan knows how to introduce a character in a way that, within seconds, you know who they are, what they are going through, what their pain is, and what they are trying to achieve… he leaves so much on the vine for future episodes and creates characters that are in motion.”
The depth of the characters is further anchored by Ari Graynor, who portrays Dr. Diana. Graynor described the intensity of her introduction to the series, stating, “I come in very strong with what was basically an eight-page monologue… I was so excited, grateful, and terrified to have the chance to do this.”
Graynor, who previously worked with Murphy on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, viewed the production as a reunion within a specialized creative circle. “My character, Dr. Diana, is an incredible kind of character that I have always wanted to play,” she explained, adding that working with Murphy “is like being part of the company” where the world “keeps twisting and turning along the way”.
Evan Peters, who leads the investigation as FBI agent Cooper Madsen, pointed toward the philosophical undercurrents that define Murphy’s filmography. “I know that Ryan has a through line for many of his projects, which is that the thing that makes you unique is the thing that makes you beautiful,” Peters remarked, expressing hope that “people take that message away”.
This sentiment was echoed by supporting cast member Jessica Alexander, who highlighted the show’s grander ambitions and its connection to the original source material. Having read every volume of the graphic novels cover to cover, Alexander found the adaptation to be “quintessential, bonkers Ryan Murphy brilliance.”
She described the experience as “all the things of different Ryan Murphy universes clashing together,” noting that while the scale of the production was “huge” and intimidating, it remained a “unique experience”.
The atmospheric tension of the series is driven largely by the score from long-time collaborator composer Mac Quayle. Having worked with Murphy for over a decade, Quayle spoke to the challenge of defining the show’s sonic identity. “The initial challenge on The Beauty was that we knew we wanted a main theme, which can be the toughest stuff to write,” Quayle said. He noted that this foundational piece of music “must represent the show and be able to appear and reappear in different versions throughout the series,” a task he found “frightening when there is nothing there yet”.
As the premiere approaches, The Beauty stands as a high-stakes exploration of obsession and the cost of perfection, delivered through the lens of a seasoned company of talent.
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