“The Beauty” Finale: Nicola Peltz Beckham Makes a Cameo in Nod to Isabella Rossellini's Iconic “Death Becomes Her” Role

Stacy LambeThu, March 5, 2026 at 3:45 AM UTC

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From left: Nicola Peltz Beckham on 'The Beauty;' and Isabella Rossellini in 'Death Becomes Her'Credit: FX; Moviestore/Shutterstock

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Beauty season 1 two-part finale, which aired on March 4 at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu

Given that The Beauty is from the world of prolific TV producer Ryan Murphy, it should come as no surprise that the season 1 two-part finale was full of twists and turns. In fact, the final episode, which was written by Murphy, 60, and co-creator Matthew Hodgson, opened with a shocking moment involving Isabella Rossellini that brought her presence on the body horror series full circle with her iconic role in Death Becomes Her.

While Franny (Rossellini) is dancing with her sons, Tig (Ray Nicholson) and Gunther (Brandon Gillard), they inject her with a dosage of the beauty drug created by her husband, Byron (Ashton Kutcher), against her will — forcing her to go through the body transformation (or drug-induced beautification) that she was so adamantly against.

When Franny is seen again, she's played by Nicola Peltz Beckham, who is dressed in a revealing bejeweled costume that bears striking resemblance to the one worn by Rossellini, 73, in Death Becomes Her — the 1992 dark comedy about a potion that promises eternal youth and beauty that has been heavily referenced throughout season 1.

From left: Ashton Kutcher and sabella Rossellini on 'The Beauty'Credit: FX

Unlike her husband and sons, all of whom have been enhanced by the drug, Franny is upset by what's become of her. "I feel like a prisoner, trapped inside a body that is not mine. Everything that I have worked for, everything that I have earned, my scars, my stretch marks, the age I owned, taken from me," she tells Byron after he discovers her in the parlor of their house.

"I was a god damn work of art," she says later, as she continues to lament over the transformation and then breaks one of their coveted antiques. Picking up a shard off the ground, Franny then slices her neck open in an effort to kill herself. (It's revealed later that she's still alive — and that Byron is actively working on antidotes that will reverse the effects that the drug had on her.)

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Nicola Peltz Beckham on 'The Beauty'Credit: FX

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When it comes to Nicola's visual homage to Death Becomes Her, it's the result of Murphy's own fandom surrounding the movie helmed by director Robert Zemeckis. According to The Beauty companion podcast, he saw it in theaters four times when it first came out, much to the surprise of Rossellini, who was not aware of his appreciation for the cult classic when they were working on set together. "He never told me that," she said in surprise.

Isabella Rossellini in 'Death Becomes Her'Credit: Universal

As for Nicola's cameo on the show, it comes after the actress previously made a name for herself with the Transformers live-action sequels and a role on the Bates Motel prequel series. She also notably portrayed Playboy model Dorothy Stratten, whose death serves as a catalyst for the events that unfolded in the 2022 Hulu true-crime series Welcome to Chippendales. Her last onscreen role before The Beauty was in 2024's Lola, which she also wrote and directed.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old actress, who is married to Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, has been caught up in a family rift with her husband's parents, Victoria and David, that went public in January. Taking to his Instagram Stories, Brooklyn, 27, made several bombshell claims that suggested his parents were trying to ruin his marriage to Nicola and were behind the bad press the couple has been subject to since tying the knot.

"My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want [is] peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family," Brooklyn wrote at the time.

In the weeks since, both sides of the family have made public displays of support for their respective sides of the family while not addressing the feud directly. Most notably, Victoria, 51, and David, 50, have been hitting the red carpet at various events while Nicola and Brooklyn have put their love for each other on display via Instagram. Nicola's The Beauty cameo also happens to fall on husband Brooklyn's 27th birthday on March 4.

The Beauty season 1 is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”