What was the first television show that Lady Gaga appeared as a recurring character?

The first television show in which Lady Gaga appeared as a recurring character was American Horror Story: Hotel. She played Elizabeth Johnson, better known as the Countess, the glamorous and murderous owner of Los Angeles’s Hotel Cortez.

Hotel was the fifth season of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s American Horror Story anthology series. Gaga joined the cast in 2015, and the season premiered on FX on October 7 of that year. Unlike some of her later screen work, the role was primarily dramatic rather than musical.

The Countess is portrayed as a centuries-old vampire-like figure who maintains her beauty by consuming human blood. Gaga’s performance earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.

A frequent mix-up is Glee, where Gaga’s music and fashion were referenced but she did not play a recurring character. Gaga also appeared in other television projects, but Hotel was her first major recurring television role.