Singer and actress Hayes Warner has been tapped as a series regular in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming FX drama The Shards, according to Deadline. The series, produced by 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Productions, adapts Bret Easton Ellis’ prep school thriller of the same name.
Ellis first introduced The Shards as a serialized audiobook before the novel officially hit shelves in 2023. The story unfolds in Los Angeles in 1981, following a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at Buckley prep school. His world is upended by the arrival of Robert Mallory, a mysterious new student whose presence coincides with the emergence of a serial killer known as “The Trawler.” Dark, unsettling, and deeply personal, the tale mixes semi-autobiographical elements with Ellis’ signature edge.
Ellis rose to fame in the 1980s as one of Generation X’s defining literary voices with his debut Less Than Zero, written at age 21. He is perhaps best known for American Psycho, which is being reimagined by Luca Guadagnino for Lionsgate following the cult status of the 2000 Christian Bale classic.
FX announced development of The Shards earlier this year, with Max Winkler attached to direct. Murphy, Ellis, and Winkler will executive produce alongside Nick Hall, Kathleen McCaffrey, and Brian Young. A writer for the series has yet to be revealed.
Warner, a New York City native and Northwestern University musical theater graduate, has been building a strong reputation as both a performer and songwriter. Named one of People’s Emerging Artists to Watch, her music has landed on the Top 40 U.S. radio charts and amassed millions of streams worldwide. Beyond her solo career, she has written music for Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Fox, and Nickelodeon, with credits including The Barbie Chronicles (Netflix), WWE, The Descendants franchise (Disney), and Ferguson & Rebecca (Netflix).
Represented by CAA, Grytte Entertainment, and Gang Tyre, Warner continues to build momentum as she balances a rising music career with her growing presence in film and television.