Ryan Murphy Reflects on the Changing Attitudes Toward Plastic Surgery Since Nip/Tuck

Ryan Murphy, ‘Nip /Tuck’.
Credit :

Santiago Felipe/Getty; Shepard-Robin Prods/Stu Segall Prods Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock

Key Insights

• Ryan Murphy noted that discussions surrounding plastic surgery have evolved since his time creating the series Nip/Tuck.
• “I remember, back in the day, one of my first big shows was a show called Nip/Tuck that was about plastic surgery, and I was amazed at how taboo it was to talk about it,” he stated.
• Murphy’s upcoming show, The Beauty, explores a sexually transmitted virus that enhances beauty but has fatal consequences.

Ryan Murphy recently reflected on his early 2000s show Nip/Tuck, examining the shift in societal attitudes toward plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures.

At a panel during New York Comic Con for his latest series The Beauty, the Emmy-winning creator, now 59, discussed the changing perceptions of plastic surgery. “With every passing month, there seems to be less and less judgment about Semaglutides [a medication for treating type 2 diabetes and managing weight] and plastic surgery,” he remarked.

Murphy elaborated, suggesting that cosmetic procedures have become somewhat of a status symbol today—a marked contrast to the stigmatization he encountered in the past. “I remember, back in the day, I was amazed at how taboo it was,” he said. “People changed their bodies, and they got in public and acted like nothing had changed. That was how you did it back then.”

Ryan Murphy at New York Comic Con on Oct. 11, 2025 in New York City.

Jason Mendez/Getty

According to Murphy, societal norms have drastically transformed, with individuals feeling more empowered to discuss and showcase their cosmetic modifications. “Now I think people sort of flaunt it more and are talking about it,” he remarked, calling it “an evolution in some strange way.”

Nip/Tuck, which starred Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, and Joely Richardson, premiered on FX in 2003. The series, which aired for six seasons until 2010, provided unflinching portrayals of plastic surgery and the tumultuous lives of its characters, earning an Emmy for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup and a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series.

Murphy has since become known for several hit series, including Glee, American Horror Story, and American Crime Story.

His upcoming project, The Beauty, co-created with Matt Hodgson, is based on a comic book series by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley. The show follows a sexually transmitted virus that “makes those affected more beautiful, but with deadly consequences.”

Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon in ‘Nip/Tuck’.

Shepard-Robin Prods/Stu Segall Prods Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock

The cast of The Beauty includes Anthony Ramos, Ashton Kutcher, Evan Peters, Jeremy Pope, and Rebecca Hall. During the Comic Con panel, Murphy described the show as having “amazing action sequences,” a blend of body horror, romance, and comedy, as well as a formidable villain. He emphasized the enjoyment of balancing various genres within the show’s narrative.

The Beauty is slated to premiere on FX in 2026.