Sarah Paulson
2.4Acting

Sarah Paulson

Dec 17, 1974 - Tampa, Florida, USA

Sarah Catharine Paulson (born December 17, 1974) is an American actress. She began her acting career in New York City stage productions before starring in the short-lived television series American Gothic (1995–1996) and Jack & Jill (1999–2001). She later appeared in comedy films such as What Women Want (2000) and Down with Love (2003), and drama films such as Path to War (2002) and The Notorious Bettie Page (2005). From 2006 to 2007, she starred as Harriet Hayes in the NBC comedy-drama series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, for which she received her first Golden Globe Award nomination. In 2008, she starred as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit.

Paulson has appeared on Broadway in the plays The Glass Menagerie in 2005 and Collected Stories in 2010. She also starred in a number of independent films and had a leading role in the ABC comedy series Cupid (2009). She later starred in the independent drama film Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) and received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for her portrayal of Nicolle Wallace in the HBO film Game Change (2012). She was featured as Mary Epps in the 2013 historical drama film 12 Years a Slave, as Abby Gerhard in the 2015 romantic drama film Carol, and as Toni Bradlee in the 2017 political drama film The Post, all of which were nominated for multiple Academy Awards. Her other films include Serenity (2005), New Year's Eve (2011), Mud (2012), Blue Jay (2016), Ocean's 8 (2018), Bird Box (2018), Glass (2019), and Run (2020).

In 2011, Paulson began starring in the FX anthology series American Horror Story, playing different characters in many of the show's 10 seasons. For her performances in the series, she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won two Critics' Choice Television Awards. In 2016, she portrayed real-life prosecutor Marcia Clark in the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story, subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson, for which she garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the Primetime Emmy Award and the Golden Globe Award. In 2020, Paulson appeared in the FX limited series Mrs. America, and began starring as Nurse Mildred Ratched in the Netflix psychological thriller series Ratched. In 2021, she returned to American Crime Story to portray Linda Tripp in the third season of the show, subtitled Impeachment.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie2003Down with LoveVikki Hiller
Movie2000What Women WantAnnie
Movie2008The SpiritEllen Dolan
Movie2002BugEilleen
Movie2021Adele One Night OnlySelf
Movie2006A Christmas WeddingEmily
Movie2005The Notorious Bettie PageBunny Yeager
Movie2021Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&ASelf
Movie1996Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
Movie2005SerenityDr. Caron
Movie2006DiggersJulie
Movie1999The Other SisterHeather Tate
Movie2011Martha Marcy May MarleneLucy
Movie1999Held UpMary
Movie2011November ChristmasBeth Marks
MovieN/AI Am SybilConnie Wilbur
Movie201312 Years a SlaveMary Epps
Movie2013MudMary Lee
Movie2013FairhavenKate
Movie1998The Long Way HomeLeanne Bossert
Movie2012Stars In ShortsWoman
MovieN/AClybourne Park
Movie1997LevitationAcey
Movie2022Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration
Movie2011After-School SpecialWoman
Movie2015CarolAbby Gerhard
Movie2015The RunnerKate Haber
Movie2024Hold Your BreathMargaret Bellum
MovieN/ATalley's FollySally Talley
Movie2018Reimagining The Met GalaSelf
Movie2018Ocean's Team 3.0Self
Movie2006Griffin & PhoenixPeri
MovieN/AEthel
Movie2014#twitterkillsSarah Pendersen
Movie2012Game ChangeNicolle Wallace
Movie2017Rebel in the RyeDorothy Olding
Movie2016Blue JayAmanda
Movie2003Path to WarLuci Baines Johnson
Movie2011New Year's EveGrace Schwab
Movie2009Whose Dog Is It Anyway?Emma
Movie2018Ocean's EightTammy
Movie2005SwimmersMerrill
Movie1995Friends at LastDiana - Age 21
Movie2017The PostTony Bradlee
Movie2019GlassDr. Ellie Staple
Movie2018Bird BoxJessica
Movie2019The GoldfinchXandra
Movie2019AbominableDr. Zara (voice)
Movie2020RunMother / Diane
Movie2020Coastal ElitesClarissa Montgomery
Movie2012The Time BeingSarah
Movie2025Garden State - The 20th Anniversary ConcertSelf - Presenter
MovieN/AMother CourageSandra Bloom
TV Show2004DeadwoodAlice Isringhausen12
TV Show1995American GothicMerlyn Temple18
TV Show2011American Horror StoryLana Winters13
TV Show1999Jack & JillElisa Cronkite32
TV Show2006Studio 60 on the Sunset StripHarriet Hayes22
TV Show2003Nip/TuckAgatha Ripp1
TV Show2009CupidDr. Claire McCrae7
TV Show2002Leap of FaithFaith Wardwell6
TV Show2004The D.A.Lisa Patterson4
TV Show2011American Horror StoryCordelia Goode / Wilhemina Venable / Billie Dean Howard23
TV Show2011American Horror StoryBillie Dean Howard4
TV Show2015The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf2
TV Show2011American Horror StoryBette Tattler / Dot Tattler13
TV Show1988LIVE with Kelly and Mark1
TV Show2011American Horror StorySally McKenna / Billie Dean Howard12
TV Show2003The Ellen DeGeneres ShowSelf1
TV Show2016American Crime StoryMarcia Clark10
TV Show2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf5
TV Show2022The BearCousin Michelle2
TV Show2005The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonSelf1
TV Show2015Close Up with The Hollywood ReporterSelf1
TV Show2016ChelseaSelf1
TV Show2011American Horror StoryAudrey Tindall / Lana Winters10
TV Show1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitAnne Gillette1
TV Show2011American Horror StoryAlly Mayfair-Richards / Susan Atkins11
TV Show2012BlueLavinia2
TV ShowN/APretty/HandsomeCorky Fromme1
TV Show1990Law & OrderMaggie Conner1
TV Show2007The Graham Norton ShowSelf2
TV Show2020RatchedMildred Ratched8
TV Show2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest10
TV Show2017FEUDGeraldine Page1
TV Show2024Mr. & Mrs. SmithTherapist1
TV Show2020Mrs. AmericaAlice9
TV Show2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf3
TV Show1981Entertainment TonightSelf2
TV Show2016American Crime StoryLinda Tripp10
TV Show1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Cameo (uncredited)1
TV Show2011American Horror StoryTuberculosis Karen / Mamie Eisenhower10
TV Show1999Family GuySarah Paulson / Marcia Clark / Costumed Woman (voice)1
TV Show2005Grey's AnatomyYoung Ellis Grey1
TV Show2014Off Camera with Sam JonesSelf1
TV Show1994Touched by an AngelZoe1
TV ShowN/AAll's FairCarrington Lane1
TV Show2004Desperate HousewivesLydia Lindquist1
TV Show2018Lie DetectorSelf1
TV Show2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self1
TV Show2014Variety Studio: Actors on ActorsSelf2
TV Show2019The Kelly Clarkson Show1
TV Show1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter1
TV Show2019I'm a LA... Get Me Out of Here!Self - Contestant20

Crew

Media
Movie2024Hold Your BreathExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show2020RatchedProducerProduction
TV Show2011American Horror StoryDirectorDirecting
TV Show2016American Crime StoryExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show2011American Horror StoryExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show2021The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen ShamblinExecutive ProducerProduction
TV ShowN/AAll's FairExecutive ProducerProduction