In present day, though, the Cortez is acquired by Gaga’s Countess, a glamorous socialite who attends art openings and fashion shows and maintains her looks not from a steady diet of kale but from imbibing human blood. Murphy doesn’t like to call it vampirism. “I prefer the term ‘ancient blood virus,’ ” Murphy says of her affliction. “It’s really a form of hemophilia, in a way.” The Countess is also insatiable when it comes to love and sex, which sets up a macabre love triangle between her, the similarly blood-hungry Donovan (Matt Bomer) and the newly turned male model Tristan (Finn Wittrock).
Also gravitating around the world of the Cortez are Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett), an actress/former lover of The Countess’ seeking revenge; Iris (Kathy Bates), Donovan’s mother and the front desk clerk; Liz Taylor (Denis O’Hare), a cross-dresser nicknamed by The Countess; Hypodermic Sally (Sarah Paulson), a junkie and friend of The Countess; Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley), a cop investigating a murderer named the Ten Commandments Killer; and The Addiction Demon, a creature in the vein of Rubberman or Bloodyface, who has no eyes or mouth but does wield a nasty, conical drillbit *****.
Y'all doing the most about the hemophilia usage I was able to understand perfectly. It does give me "reverse hemophilia experience" teas though LMAO. Honestly, I'm not too hyped about another character bathing in blood, but it seems like she Needs blood to survive so this is interesting. She's basically a vampire.
The owner of the titular Hotel Cortez, The Countess is a glamorous but deadly creature who sustains on a healthy diet of sex and blood — she kills with her very fashionable but very sharp chainmail glove. “She’s extremely strong,” explains Gaga. “She’s been through so much. It’s kind of impossible for anything to penetrate her.”
