Nurse Rita in 'AHS: 1984' Isn't Who You Think She Is

Lizzy Rosenberg - Author
By

Oct. 3 2019, Updated 1:37 p.m. ET

If you aren't completely up to date with the ninth installment of American Horror Story, let me catch you up to speed. A group of aerobics instructors from Los Angeles has ventured up to Camp Redwood to become counselors, and ultimately leave their own troubles behind. 

Everything is fine — that is — until Mr. Jingles (played by John Lynch), a serial killer, escapes from the mental hospital, yearning to kill, once again, at Camp Redwood. 

Article continues below advertisement
Article continues below advertisement

And while Nurse Rita (played by Angelica Ross) seems like a kind camp employee who simply wants to help the rest of the gang, it turns out she has an ulterior motive. The Oct. 2 episode has you wondering, "who is Nurse Rita on AHS: 1984?"

Her plot twist is seriously shocking.

Article continues below advertisement

Amidst chaos, Nurse Rita's true colors come out on AHS: 1984. 

Mr. Jingles is on a murderous rampage, Chet (played by Gus Kenworthy) was stabbed, and Ray, (played by DeRon Horton), was decapitated in an attempt to escape via motorcycle.

Meanwhile, Nurse Rita and Brooke, (played by Emma Roberts), are contemplating their escape. And just before Brooke gets in the car, Nurse Rita stabs her in the neck with a paralytic. Normally, that isn't in a camp nurse's job description, so you have to wonder, "why?"

Article continues below advertisement

Flashbacks indicate that Nurse Rita's real name is actually Donna Chambers, and she is not a nurse. She's an extremely dedicated psychologist who is currently studying to get her doctorate. She's on a mission to conduct an in-depth experiment on serial killers.

Basically, she helped set Jingles loose to prove her theory that serial killers exist because of porn and war. She hopes to study Jingles in his "natural habitat," by letting him do what he does best, regardless of the consequences.

Article continues below advertisement

The real Nurse Rita faced an unfortunate fate.

Like I said, the fake Nurse Rita, whose name is Donna, is absolutely ruthless, and she'll do anything in the name of science.

To conceal her identity, Donna tracks down the real Nurse Rita, who is on her way up to Camp Redwood. The real Nurse Rita pulls into a gas station, which gives Donna the chance to sneak into the backseat of her car and tie her up, before tossing her into the camp's boathouse.

But the real Nurse Rita's unfortunate fate doesn't end there.

Like I said, the real Nurse Rita is tied up in the back of the boathouse, and obviously, she's screaming for help. Unfortunately, though, Mr. Jingles hears her screams, and he brutally murders her while the counselors are hiding in a different part of the boathouse. Let's just say her death was seriously gruesome, and the scene was truly unforgettable.

Article continues below advertisement

You probably recognize the actresses behind the fake Nurse Rita, Donna, and the real Nurse Rita.

The fake Nurse Rita (aka Donna) is played by actress Angelica Ross, who — per IMDB — has appeared in Claws as Relevance, Her Story as Paige, and Danger & Eggs as the Mayor.

Article continues below advertisement

The real Nurse Rita is played by actress Dreama Walker, and according to her IMDB page, she appeared in Compliance playing the role of Becky, as well as Gran Torino as Ashley Kowalski.

Nurse Rita's character on this season of American Horror Story is complicated and — well — clearly not who you thought she was. 

Catch the next episode of AHS: 1984 next Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

Advertisement
More from Distractify

Latest Entertainment News and Updates

    Opt-out of personalized ads

    © Copyright 2024 Distractify. Distractify is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.