“I had to do a spell and it was shaking the table on me,” Sidibe tells PEOPLE

NEED TO KNOW

• Gabourey Sidibe returns as Queenie in American Horror Story: 13
• During its New York City premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 23, the actress recalled a scare she had on the set of AHS: Coven in 2013
• “Something definitely, I think was trying to follow me off set,” she tells PEOPLE

Gabourey Sidibe is “doing fine” after a spooky encounter on the American Horror Story: Coven set over a decade ago.

The actress, who returns as Queenie in the 13th season of AHS, spoke with PEOPLE at the New York City premiere of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 23, when she recalled something “trying to follow me” off set of her debut season in the anthology series.

“Sometimes, when they come around and give us Latin spells to do, Latin is a dead language for a reason,” Sidibe, 43, says. “It can be a little spooky, it’s alive. And when you wake it up, it can rattle you a little bit. I had to do a spell and it was shaking the table on me. It really put me through it.”

The unsettling experience didn’t end with filming, either. Sidibe recalls the “scary moment” persisting. “Something definitely, I think was trying to follow me off set. But I had to stop it with some sea salt and the archangel, Saint Michael. If you’re Catholic or you know Catholic angel lore, Saint Michael steps on the devil and keeps him from coming up. So he keeps evil away.”

She adds, “After that show, I carried that card on me for about five years.”

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The actress previously recalled the scare to The Hollywood Reporter in 2015, noting that she heard “scratching, like something was trying to get in our trailer” during filming. While she’s all good now, Sidibe says she had to go back and watch a few scenes to get back into character as Queenie in the latest iteration.

“I re-watched Coven. I re-watched season eight, Apocalypse, as well so that I can zero in on who she used to be, so that I can figure out how to elevate her to who she is today,” she tells PEOPLE. “Because Coven was 13 years ago and Apocalypse was eight years ago. So she has grown. She has grown some.”

Fans can now see Sidibe returning to the role alongside several other franchise favorites, including Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd and Emma Roberts. The stacked season comes 15 years after the show’s debut. A logline for the season teases, “Which iconic horrors will return to haunt the hallowed halls of 13 and what new terrors await? Light your candles, draw your pentagrams and prepare for a supreme surprise.”

American Horror Story: 13 premieres Thursday, Sept. 24, on FX and Hulu.

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