Ryan Murphy‘s thriller series The Beauty follows two FBI partners, played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, as they investigate a mysterious STD that seems to make people more physically attractive but is ultimately deadly. At the center is tech billionaire Byron Frost (Ashton Kutcher), who is working to create and sell a beauty-altering drug worldwide. In other words, one shot makes you hot.
Lux Pascal joins the series as Clara, a scientist caught in the early days of Frost’s controversial body-altering drug. The episode plays like a prequel, unpacking how the product spreads beyond the lab and into the lives of people desperate to change how they look and feel.
For Pascal, joining the series was a full-circle moment.
“I was extremely excited,” she told Gayety. “I first heard about it through my agent… and it’s rare that those tapes actually go somewhere. But this time, fortunately, I booked the job and I was beyond excited to be a part of Ryan Murphy’s universe for the first time.”
She added that Murphy’s creative legacy made the opportunity even more meaningful. “I’ve been watching his productions since I was yea tall… I don’t know any actor who wouldn’t want to be a part of Murphy’s universe.”
Pascal’s episode, titled “Beautiful Patient Zero,” explores Clara’s relationship with coworker Mike and the emotional motivations behind their desire for transformation. The story examines body image, identity, and the dangerous allure of perfection, themes that immediately resonated with Pascal.
“I love being a part of a prequel-type story of how it all started,” she said. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions… there’s a heart to this virus and this need for perfection, which is just looking to be loved and then to be a part of the world.”
Episode 6 Spoilers Ahead
The episode flashes back to the early days of Frost’s lab, where employees begin to understand the real potential of the drug being developed behind closed doors. Among them are Mike (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Clara (Rev. Yolanda), two coworkers navigating their own struggles with identity, self-worth, and how they’re perceived by the world.
As curiosity turns into desperation, Mike becomes determined to try the formula himself. The transformation that follows marks one of the clearest examples yet of what the drug can do, physically reshaping him and hinting at how far its reach could extend beyond the lab.
As a trans woman, Clara is more cautious to test it out. She wrestles with whether the drug could truly reflect who she is, fearing it might misunderstand her identity rather than affirm it. Eventually, she decides to take the risk, and the moment she finally sees herself afterward becomes one of the episode’s most emotional beats, centered on recognition, relief, and the complicated hope the drug represents.
Pascal arrives in the episode as Clara post-transformation.
“Imagine you want to embody a shape, the shape of your dreams, and all of a sudden you are staring at it in the mirror… in the literal blink of an eye,” she said. “That is incredible. That is so powerful… it is deeply connected to myself and to many people.”
For Yolanda, the role felt deeply personal from the start. “I was so honored to play Clara, and I felt her so deeply,” she told Gayety. “She felt like me. She felt like some of the stories from my life,” she said, calling the episode “a very tender story and very trans-affirming” amid the series’ darker themes.
The emotional weight of Clara’s journey hit especially hard during her scenes confronting identity and self-recognition. Lines like, “If I’m the woman that I know I am, then I want to walk in the world that way. I don’t want to hide,” held a special place in her heart.
“It shook me to my core… it was like a multidimensional experience. I felt so loved and seen in that moment.”
Beyond the character, the experience of filming the episode carried its own emotional weight. Pascal described the day on set as both surreal and grounding.
“It was like the first time that I’m stepping on a set of a Ryan Murphy show… I kind of used that gratitude,” she said. “Little 7-year-old Lux watching a Ryan Murphy show for the first time and being like, ‘Oh, I wish I was a part of that at one point,’ and then being on it.”
Looking ahead to audiences experiencing the episode, Yolanda hopes Clara’s story resonates beyond the screen. “I hope it encourages folks to live their best life, to live their authentic life… to let your light shine.”
Ryan Murphy’s thriller The Beauty premiered Jan. 21, 2026. The episode featuring Pascal and Rev. Yolanda is now streaming. The series airs on FX and is available on Hulu, with new episodes released weekly on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
