Ryan Murphy's 'The Beauty' Premieres on Disney+ with Virus-Fueled Beauty Obsession

Ryan Murphy's latest series, *The Beauty*, premieres on Disney+ tomorrow, offering a provocative take on contemporary obsessions with physical perfection. The show, adapted from the comic by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, depicts a sexually transmitted virus that rapidly spreads, transforming those infected into more attractive versions of themselves—and igniting greed among opportunists eager to profit from it.

Stars Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who play FBI agents investigating suspicious deaths linked to the virus, described the series in an EFE interview as a blend of science fiction and body horror. Their characters probe the dark underbelly of a society gripped by fears, ambition, and an unrelenting pursuit of aesthetic ideals, amplified by unrealistic social media standards.

"It's Ryan Murphy's knack for capturing the spirit of the times and exploiting it deliberately—sensationalizing it to make it subversive and provocative," Hall said. She emphasized the series' core message: "Your uniqueness matters, whatever that means to you, and chasing something imposed from outside can be dangerous and drive you mad."

Peters likened beauty to "fresh snow," while Hall viewed it more instinctively, as something that challenges her own definitions. The 11-episode first season also delves into aging's inevitability. "It would be naive to say I don't fear getting older—we all do. Growing old is literally the process of losing your life," Hall reflected.

The narrative satirizes recent weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, whose real-world effects are already evident globally. For Murphy, an award-winning director, producer, and writer, *The Beauty* marks a return to horror after scathing reviews for his previous project, *All's Fair*, featuring Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, and Naomi Watts—including a zero-star rating from *The Guardian*.