Dorinda Medley is stepping into scripted television with a role opposite Glenn Close in Season 2 of All’s Fair.
The reality TV regular will play a character named Loni and said she worked primarily with Close. For Medley, the assignment offered an opportunity to explore unfamiliar territory while reflecting on how her identity has changed over the years.
“All these little steps in your life move you a little closer to who you are,” Medley said. “For so many years I was Dorinda someone.”
After listing the surnames she has used and the roles she has held in her personal life, Medley added: “Mother, wife, widow. Now, for the first time, I’m just Dorinda. There’s incredible freedom in that.”
Medley brought some characteristic humor to the occasion, wearing an embellished Gucci dress that she jokingly described as “very casual.” She also came prepared with an idea for another potential collaboration with Murphy: setting American Horror Story at Blue Stone Manor, her home in the Berkshires.
For now, that concept remains a pitch rather than a confirmed project. Her part as Loni in the second season of All’s Fair, however, gives Medley the chance to test herself in a scripted role while working closely with Close.
Inside the Show’s Crane Club Gathering
The evening surrounding the show extended to Crane Club, where red velvet covered the dining room and an oversized ice sculpture featuring the show’s initials stood above the raw bar. Servers circulated with truffle arancini and Caesar salads, while a carving station added to the reception-style atmosphere.
Even the cocktail list followed the show’s divorce-minded theme. Contested Assets was a habanero-spiked mezcal drink, while Alimony combined gin, vodka, vermouth, sake and cucumber.
Taylor had another order in mind: “I need a real big margarita.” She specified passionfruit with a sugar rim, declaring, “There—you’ve got sugar, spice, and everything nice,” as she danced through the recipe.
The cast had tables around the room but did not spend much time sitting. Ash Hodgkinson performed magic tricks for a group of guests. Murphy, wearing ochre-tinted aviators, posed for playful photos with Paulson. When the DJ played “Plain Jane,” Nash-Betts was on the dance floor with her girls.
Director Hemingway welcomed the chance for everyone to enjoy time together away from the demands of work.
“We rarely get a chance to rock together. We’re always working,” Hemingway said, adding that he was looking forward to being able to “hang out, have a cocktail, even do a little two-step, and just laugh.”
Watching the room come alive appeared to deliver exactly the kind of break he had anticipated. “I love those moments,” Hemingway said. “That’s living.”
Anna Delvey Addresses the Reaction
Anna Delvey also weighed in on the criticism All’s Fair has received, suggesting that some viewers may be approaching its excesses too earnestly.
“It says a lot about people, how they take it,” Delvey said, arguing that some people “are too serious about it.” In her view, concentrating too heavily on the show’s extravagance risks overlooking its intended silliness.
“They obviously know what they’re doing,” she said.
ShowBiz Take
Medley’s casting is significant less as a simple crossover from reality television than as a personally meaningful experiment. She has framed the scripted opportunity as part of a larger process of discovering who she is beyond the family names and offscreen roles that previously defined her.
Working mostly with Glenn Close gives that experiment a notable centerpiece, while Medley’s Blue Stone Manor proposal shows she is already thinking beyond Loni. Still, the distinction is important: her All’s Fair Season 2 role is confirmed, while the American Horror Story idea is only a pitch.
What Happens Next?
Medley’s next confirmed move is her appearance as Loni in All’s Fair Season 2. Whether Murphy will take up her suggestion to bring American Horror Story to Blue Stone Manor remains uncertain, but Medley has made her interest in continuing scripted work clear.