According to The Hollywood Reporter, Grande's departure came after changes to the show's filming schedule overlapped with her concert commitments. Although she was announced as part of the cast on Halloween 2025, the singer ultimately did not film any scenes for the new season.
Grande's casting had generated excitement among fans, marking her first appearance in Ryan Murphy's acclaimed horror anthology series and a reunion with the producer following her role in Scream Queens in 2015.
However, her absence became evident when a recently released teaser for American Horror Story: 13 did not feature the Grammy-winning singer.
The production schedule for the series shifted after filming began in April, while Grande launched her Eternal Sunshine Tour on June 6 in Oakland. The overlap reportedly made it impossible for her to balance both commitments.
The scheduling conflict follows recent adjustments to Grande's tour itinerary. In late June, she rescheduled three U.S. concerts, moving her July 12 Brooklyn performance to July 14, while two Boston shows originally planned for July 22 and July 24 were pushed to July 23 and July 26 due to production-related issues.
Her tour is set to continue across New York, Canada and Chicago before concluding with international performances.
Despite Grande's exit, American Horror Story: 13 will feature several fan-favorite cast members returning to the franchise, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd and Jessica Lange. Director John Waters is also set to appear.
The new season reunites several actors reprising their Coven characters and is scheduled to premiere on September 24 on FX before becoming available to stream on Hulu.
Music remains Grande's primary focus this year. Her 2024 album, Eternal Sunshine, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming her sixth chart-topping album and producing two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
She is also preparing to release her eighth studio album, Petal, on July 31. The project's lead single, "Hate That I Made You Love Me," recently became her 10th career No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying her for the 10th-most chart-topping singles in the history of the ranking.
Although she will miss out on American Horror Story, Grande is still set to return to the big screen later this year in Focker-In-Law, the latest installment of the Meet the Parents film franchise.