REAL-LIFE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND 'AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW'
If you've ever wondered where the writers of American Horror Story: Freak Show found their inspiration for the characters, look no further!
Edward Mordrake played by Wes Bentley
Diagnosis: Diprosopus, a congenital disorder whereby
parts or all of the face are duplicated on the head
Desiree Dupree played by Angela Bassett
Diagnosis: Hermaphroditism, a condition in which a
person's external genitalia and internal sex organs
have both male and female characteristics
Jimmy Darling played by Evan Peters
Diagnosis: Ectrodactyly, a congenital anomaly
characterized by the absence of one or more of
the fingers and toes resulting in fused digits,
split or cleft hands and feet, and clawlike features
Legless Suzi played by Rose Siggins
Diagnosis: Half woman
Amazon Eve played by Erika Ervin
Diagnosis: Gigantism
Ma Petite played by Jyoti Amge
Diagnosis: Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism
Bette and Dot Tattler played by Sarah Paulson
Diagnosis: Conjoined Twins
Pepper & Salty played by Naomi Grossman & Christopher
Nieman
Diagnosis: Microcephaly, a neurodevelopmental disorder
defined by a small cranium more than two standard
deviations below the mean for age and gender
Paul the Illustrated Seal played by Mat Fraser
Diagnosis: Phocomelia, an extremely rare congenital
disorder involving malformation of the limbs
Meep played by Ben Woolf
Diagnosis: Virchow-Seckel syndrome aka bird-headed
dwarfism
