Kim Kardashian Channeled Kourtney for Her ‘American Horror Story’ Character

Before she graces our screens in what’s shaping up to be a very Sex and the City-style show, Kim Kardashian just wrapped up a role in Delicate, the latest season of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy’s cult-favorite anthology series. In the show, she plays a publicist, Siobhan Corbyn. Of course, Siobhan isn’t all that she seems and audiences eventually find out that she is the Auteur, a super-powerful, immortal witch. Naturally, viewers compared Kim’s portrayal to Kris Jenner’s real-life persona, from the immaculate power-bitch posture and chessmaster-style machinations to the statement-shoulder blazers. But in a new conversation with Variety, Kardashian said that she was actually drawing on another family member.

“It’s funny, I was really channeling my sister Kourtney and someone that I work with,” Kim explained to fellow Ryan Murphy standby Chloë Sevigny. “And everyone, when it came out, they were like, ‘That is Kris Jenner all the way.’ And I was like, ‘I guess I had that preparation already, but it’s not what I was thinking.’ But I so see it now.”

Elsewhere in their chat, Kim explained that she took on acting as a way to challenge herself and that there was no universe in which she could say no to working with Murphy. Plus, it was an opportunity to be in front of the camera playing someone else and not herself, which she’s done since 2007, with the premiere of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

“He came to me with an idea that was kind of reality-based, and I wasn’t into it. And then he said, ‘I really want to write something for you. Would you consider doing American Horror Story?’ I obviously know the franchise—and it was an honor,” she said. “Sometimes, it just takes that one person to really believe in you and give you that push.”

Kardashian also spoke about wearing Marilyn Monroe’s dress to the Met Gala when Sevigny mentioned that she wore C.Z. Guest’s clothes for her role in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Both of them mentioned using those clothes as a way to get into character and feel closer to the people they want to channel.

“I’m a big fan in owning memorabilia, or pieces with energy from people that I love. I wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress once, and I just took it all in,” Kim said. “And I actually bought a watch of Lee Radziwill—or Jackie’s, but Lee had it. I would always probably just take a moment and be like, ‘This is so fucking cool to have her pieces!'”