Sarah Catharine Paulson (born December 17, 1974) is an American actress. She began her acting career in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

stage productions before starring in the short-lived television series '' American Gothic'' (1995–1996) and ''

Jack & Jill "Jack and Jill" (sometimes "Jack and Gill", particularly in earlier versions) is a traditional English nursery rhyme. The Roud Folk Song Index classifies the commonest tune and its variations as number 10266, although it has been set to severa ...

'' (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 ''Path to War'' is a 2002 American biographical television film, produced by HBO and directed by John Frankenheimer. It was the final film directed by Frankenheimer, who died seven weeks after the film debuted on HBO. It was also the last film pro ...

'' (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 Ellen Dolan (born October 16, 1955 in Monticello, Iowa, USA) is an American actress. Early life and career Dolan earned her B.A. and M.F.A. degrees in theater from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. While working toward her bachelor's deg ...

in the superhero noir film ''

The Spirit The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940, as the main feature of a 16-page, tabloid-sized, newsprint comic book insert distributed in the Sunday edition of Register and Tri ...

''. 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 HBO Films (formerly called HBO Premiere Films and HBO Pictures) is an American production and distribution company, a division of the cable television network HBO that produces feature films and miniseries. The division produces fiction and non-fi ...

'' Game Change'' (2012). She was featured as Mary Epps in the 2013 historical drama film ''

12 Years a Slave ''Twelve Years a Slave'' is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by American Solomon Northup as told to and written by David Wilson. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details himself being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., ...

'', 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 The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. Her other films include ''

Serenity Serenity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Serenity'' (2019 film), a thriller starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Diane Lane * Sailor Moon (character), also known as Princess Serenity and Neo-Queen Serenity, in the ' ...

'' (2005), ''

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the December 31, last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly ...

'' (2011), '' Mud'' (2012), ''

Blue Jay The blue jay (''Cyanocitta cristata'') is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to eastern North America. It lives in most of the eastern and central United States; some eastern populations may be migratory. Resident populations are ...

'' (2016), '' Ocean's 8'' (2018), ''

Bird Box A bird box is a man-made enclosure, also called a birdhouse or a nest box, provided for birds or other animals to nest in. Bird Box may also refer to: * ''Bird Box'' (novel), a 2014 post-apocalyptic novel and the debut novel by American writer an ...

'' (2018), ''

Glass Glass is a non-Crystallinity, crystalline, often transparency and translucency, transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most ...

'' (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 ''American Crime Story'' is an American Anthology series, anthology true crime television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are also executive producers, alongside Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Ryan Murphy (writer), ...

'', subtitled '' The People v. O. J. Simpson'', for which she garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

and the

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

. In 2020, Paulson appeared in the FX limited series '' Mrs. America'', and began starring as Nurse Mildred Ratched in the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

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 Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. I ...

''. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a

and a

. In 2017, ''Time'' magazine named her one of the

100 most influential people in the world ''Time'' 100 (often stylized as ''TIME'' 100) is an annual listicle of the 100 most influential people in the world, assembled by the American news magazine ''Time''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, po ...

Early life

Sarah Catharine Paulson was born in

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...

, on December 17, 1974, the daughter of Catharine Gordon (née Dolcater) and Douglas Lyle Paulson II. She spent her early life in

South Tampa South Tampa is a region in the city of Tampa that includes the neighborhoods of Beach Park, Ballast Point, Bayshore Beautiful, Bayshore Gardens, Bayside West, Belmar Shore, Davis Islands, Port Tampa, Fair Oaks-Manhattan Manor, Golfview, H ...

until her parents' divorce when she was five. After her parents' separation, she relocated with her mother and sister to

Maine Maine () is a U.S. state, state in the New England and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and territories of Canad ...

, then to

. Her mother worked as a waitress, and Paulson lived in

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

and

Gramercy Park Gramercy ParkSometimes misspelled as Grammercy () is the name of both a small, fenced-in private park and the surrounding neighborhood that is referred to also as Gramercy, in the New York City borough of Manhattan in New York, United States. ...

before settling in Park Slope. She recalled of this period, "My mom was 27 years old

hen we moved Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway * Hen, Buskerud, a village in Rin ...

She didn't know a single person in New York City. She got a job at Sardi's Restaurant. ..She was so brave to be basically a

debutante A debutante, also spelled débutante, ( ; from french: débutante , "female beginner") or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and, as a new adult, is presented to society at a formal ...

in Tampa, Florida, having a cotillion and a coming out balland she picked up and brought her two kids to the greatest city in the world, not knowing anyone. My mom's kind of my hero that way." Throughout her childhood, Paulson spent her summers with her father in Florida, who was an executive at a Tampa door manufacturing company. She attended P.S. 29 and Berkeley Carroll School in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county in the State of New York, ...

before attending

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Career

1994–2007

Paulson began working as an actress right out of high school. She appeared in the Horton Foote play ''Talking Pictures'' at the Signature Theatre, and in an episode of ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering o ...

'' in 1994. The next year Paulson appeared in the

Hallmark A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metals—such as platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium. In a more general sense, the term '' hallmark'' can a ...

television film ''Friends at Last'' (1995) opposite

Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards. Turner became widely k ...

, playing the adult version of Turner's character's daughter. She also starred in the short-lived television series '' American Gothic'' (also 1995), playing the ghost of a murdered woman. In 1997, Paulson made her feature film debut in the independent thriller film '' Levitation'', playing a woman who discovers she is pregnant after an anonymous sexual encounter. Leonard Klady of '' Variety'' noted that Paulson and her co-stars are "not supported by the script", concluding: "''Levitation'' is a grim, convoluted saga of identity and belonging. An ill-fitting combination of melodrama and magic realism, the indie effort will have a decidedly difficult time in the theatrical arena." In 1997, Paulson was a featured actress (Janice/Nina) in the two-part episode "True Romance" of ''

Cracker Cracker, crackers or The Crackers may refer to: Animals * ''Hamadryas'' (butterfly), or crackers, a genus of brush-footed butterflies * '' Sparodon'', a monotypic genus whose species is sometimes known as "Cracker" Arts and entertainment Films ...

'', which starred Robert Pastorelli. She also appeared

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

in a fall 1998 production of '' Killer Joe''. She subsequently played Elisa Cronkite in

The WB The WB Television Network (for Warner Bros., or the "Frog Network", for its former mascot, Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network launched on terrestrial television, broadcast television on January 11, 1995, as a joint venture be ...

comedy-drama series ''

'' (1999). The same year, she was also cast opposite Juliette Lewis and

Diane Keaton Diane Keaton (''née'' Hall, born January 5, 1946) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over six decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Glo ...

in the drama '' The Other Sister'', playing the lesbian sister of a developmentally-disabled woman in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

, and in a supporting part playing a hostage in the comedy '' Held Up'', opposite

Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...

. The following year, she had a small supporting role in the comedy '' What Women Want'', starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. Paulson had a minor recurring role in the HBO series ''

Deadwood Deadwood may refer to: Places Canada * Deadwood, Alberta * Deadwood, British Columbia * Deadwood River, a tributary of the Dease River in northern British Columbia United States * Deadwood, California (disambiguation), several communiti ...

'' (2005–2006), and was a focal character in an episode of the FX series '' Nip/Tuck''. She starred as the main character in the NBC series '' Leap of Faith''. She was then cast in the period comedy '' Down with Love'' (2003) in a central role, portraying the friend and editor of a writer (portrayed by Renee Zellweger). In 2004, she had a supporting role in the ABC series ''The D.A.'', which was cancelled after only four episodes. In the spring of 2005, Paulson starred in a revival of '' The Glass Menagerie'' on Broadway, opposite future ''American Horror Story'' co-star Jessica Lange.

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' deemed the production as "misdirected and miscast... reality never makes an appearance in this surreally blurred production." Later that year, Paulson appeared Off-Broadway in a production of ''Colder Than Here'', opposite Lily Rabe (also her future co-star on ''American Horror Story''). The production received an unfavorable review from '' Variety'', with critic Dave Rooney writing: "Rabe speaks in an affected monotone while Sarah Paulson has the measured, upward-inflected delivery of a children's TV presenter... this mannered, melancholy play elicits a mainly impassive response, which is no small obstruction in a work dealing with loss." Also in 2005, Paulson had a small role in the Joss Whedon-directed science fiction film ''

''. In the 2006–07 television season, Paulson co-starred in NBC's '' Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'', playing Harriet Hayes, one of the stars of the show-within-a-show. This role earned her a nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. In December 2008, Paulson appeared in the

screen adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

of Will Eisner's comic book ''

'', playing an updated version of the character

2008–2015

In 2008, ABC cast Paulson in the pilot '' Cupid'', which was ordered to series. It was a remake of the 1998 series starring Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall. In the new version, Paulson starred opposite

Bobby Cannavale Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in '' Third Watch'', '' Vinyl'', and '' Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in '' Will & Grace'', whic ...

. It debuted in late March 2009 on ABC but was cancelled on May 19, 2009, after six episodes. In February 2010, Paulson was cast as the circa 1982 mother of main character Meredith Grey, on the ABC drama ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into ...

'', appearing in a flashback sequence in a season-six episode. She then played Nicolle Wallace in the

'' Game Change'' (2012), based on events of the 2008 U.S. presidential election campaign. For her performance, she earned

and

nominations. In the spring of 2010, she starred in Donald Margulies's '' Collected Stories'' alongside Linda Lavin on Broadway. The same year, Paulson filmed the independent drama '' Martha Marcy May Marlene'', in which she starred opposite Elizabeth Olsen and

Hugh Dancy Hugh Michael Horace Dancy (born 19 June 1975) is an English actor who rose to prominence for his role as the titular character in the television film adaptation of '' David Copperfield'' (2000) as well as for roles in feature films as Kurt Schmi ...

, portraying the wealthy sister of a woman who has escaped a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal ...

. The film was released in the fall of 2011. Simultaneously, Paulson guest-starred in three episodes of the FX

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a di ...

'' American Horror Story'', playing medium Billie Dean Howard. Paulson returned the following year for season two, '' American Horror Story: Asylum'', in which she played a new character, Lana Winters, a writer who is committed to an asylum for being a lesbian. During this time, she also played the supporting role of Mary Lee in the acclaimed 2012 drama film '' Mud'', starring Matthew McConaughey. Paulson returned to theater in March 2013, appearing in an Off-Broadway production of '' Talley's Folly'' opposite Danny Burstein. She then starred in the third season of ''American Horror Story'', titled '' Coven'' (2013) as Cordelia Foxx, a witch who runs an academy for other young witches. The same year, she starred as Mary Epps, an abusive slave-owner, in the historical drama film ''

''. The film was a critical success, earning numerous accolades. In 2014, Paulson appeared in the fourth season of series of ''American Horror Story'', titled ''

Freak Show A freak show, also known as a creep show, is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to in popular culture as "freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with ...

'', playing the roles of conjoined twin sisters Bette and Dot Tattler, who are members of a circus

freak show A freak show, also known as a creep show, is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to in popular culture as "freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with ...

. She returned for the fifth season, subtitled ''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

'', in the role of Hypodermic Sally, the ghost of a drug addict trapped in a Hollywood hotel. She also reprised the character of Billie Dean Howard in the last episode of the season, making a crossover appearance. During this time, Paulson also took on the role of Abby Gerhard in the Todd Haynes-directed romantic drama '' Carol'' (2015), a period piece in which she played the supporting role of

Cate Blanchett Catherine Elise Blanchett (; born 14 May 1969) is an Australian actor. Regarded as one of the finest performers of her generation, she is known for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. She has received n ...

's close friend.

2016–present

TIFF 2019 sarah paulson (48700773398) (cropped)

Beginning in February 2016, Paulson starred in the first season of the true crime

'', subtitled '' The People v. O.J. Simpson'', portraying prosecutor Marcia Clark. She garnered widespread critical acclaim for her performance and won various awards, including the

TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama The TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama is an award given by the Television Critics Association. Winners and nominees Multiple wins ;3 wins * James Gandolfini (consecutive) ;2 wins * Andre Braugher (consecutive) * Jon Hamm * Hug ...

, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. In June 2016, the

Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...

released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Paulson and others told the stories of the people killed there. In the fall of 2016, she starred in the sixth iteration of ''American Horror Story'', subtitled '' Roanoke''; in it, she was cast in the dual roles of British actress Audrey Tindall and tortured wife and yoga instructor Shelby Miller, the latter of whom is portrayed by Tindall's character in ''My Roanoke Nightmare'', a documentary within the series. She also reprised her role of Lana Winters in the final episode of ''Roanoke'', in which the character makes a crossover appearance. After completing ''Roanoke'', Paulson appeared in the series' seventh season, ''

Cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal ...

'' (2017), in which she played restaurant owner Ally Mayfair-Richards, as well as Susan Atkins in the 10th episode of the season. She also starred as

Geraldine Page Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acad ...

in one episode of the first season of drama anthology series '' Feud'' (2017), which chronicles the turbulent working relationship between actresses

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

and

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pic ...

. Paulson was then cast in the heist film '' Ocean's 8'' (2018), co-starring with

, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway,

Mindy Kaling Vera Mindy Chokalingam (born June 24, 1979),Additional archive on June 25, 2015. known professionally as Mindy Kaling (), is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter and producer. She first gained recognition starring as Kelly Kapoor in the ...

, Awkwafina, and

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...

. The film was a commercial success, grossing nearly $300million at the worldwide box office. In 2017 she was invited to join the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...

. Paulson returned for the eighth season of ''American Horror Story'', titled ''

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...

'', which premiered on September 12, 2018. In ''Apocalypse'', Paulson reprised both the ''Murder House'' and ''Coven'' roles of Billie Dean Howard and Cordelia Foxx, respectively, and also starred as the villainous Miss Wilhemina Venable. In addition to appearing as three characters, Paulson also directed one of the season's episodes, marking her directorial debut. She played Sandra Bullock's character's sister, Jessica, in the drama horror film ''

'', which was released on

in December 2018. In 2019, Paulson starred as Dr. Ellie Staple in the superhero thriller film ''

'', Xandra in the drama film '' The Goldfinch'', and Dr. Zara in the animated adventure film '' Abominable''. Paulson then starred as Alice Macray in the FX limited drama series '' Mrs. America'', which premiered in April 2020. She also starred as Clarissa Montgomery in the HBO satirical comedy television film ''

Coastal Elites ''Coastal Elites'' is a 2020 American comedy television film directed by Jay Roach and written by Paul Rudnick. The film stars Bette Midler, Sarah Paulson, Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Levy and Issa Rae as five people, living in either New York City or Lo ...

'', which premiered in September 2020. In September 2017, it was announced that Paulson would star as a younger version of Nurse Mildred Ratched, the villain of the novel ''

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to: * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas * ''One Flew Over the ...

'' and its acclaimed 1975 film adaptation, in the

drama series '' Ratched'', a

prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term ...

to the novel which would portray the character's origins. The first season was released on September 18, 2020. In November 2020, Paulson starred in the thriller film '' Run'', opposite

Kiera Allen Kiera Allen is an American actress known for her role in the Hulu thriller ''Run''. Personal life Allen was raised in New York. She is a Creative Writing student at Columbia University with the class of 2022. She uses a wheelchair for mobility. ...

. It went on to become the most watched original film on streaming platform

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television seri ...

. In 2021, she portrayed Linda Tripp in the third season of the true crime anthology series ''American Crime Story'', subtitled ''

''. In 2021 she returned to ''American Horror Story'' for its tenth season, after being absent for the ninth season. In February 2022 it was announced that Paulson had been tapped to portray author Glennon Doyle in a TV series based on Doyle's memoir, Untamed.

In the media

In 2017, ''Time'' magazine named Paulson one of the

. In 2018, Paulson was ranked one of the best dressed women by fashion website Net-a-Porter.

Personal life

Paulson lives in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

. She is a supporter of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. She was diagnosed with melanoma on her back when she was 25, though the growth was removed before the cancer could spread. Addressing her sexuality, Paulson called it "a fluid situation" and later said, "If my life choices had to be predicated based on what was expected of me from a community on either side, that's going to make me feel really straitjacketed, and I don't want to feel that." She dated actress

Cherry Jones Cherry Jones (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress known for her roles on screen and stage. She has received various accolades for her performances in television and theatre including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, th ...

from 2004 to 2009. She had dated only men before this relationship, including her former fiancé, playwright Tracy Letts. Since early 2015, she has been in a relationship with actress

Holland Taylor Holland Virginia Taylor (born January 14, 1943) is an American actress. She won the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Judge Roberta Kittleson on ABC's '' The Practice'' (1998–2003) ...

Filmography

Paulson appeared in such films as '' What Women Want'' (2000), '' Down with Love'' (2003), ''

'' (2005), '' The Notorious Bettie Page'' (2005), ''

'' (2008), '' Martha Marcy May Marlene'' (2011), ''

'' (2011), '' Mud'' (2012), '' Game Change'' (2012), ''

'' (2013), '' Carol'' (2015), ''

'' (2016), '' The Post'' (2017), '' Ocean's 8'' (2018), ''

'' (2018), ''

'' (2019), '' Abominable'' (2019), and '' Run'' (2020). On television, Paulson starred in '' American Gothic'' (1995–1996), ''

'' (1999–2001), ''

'' (2006), '' Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'' (2006–2007), '' Cupid'' (2009), '' American Horror Story'' (2011–present), ''

'' (2016–present), '' Mrs. America'' (2020), and '' Ratched'' (2020–present). Paulson has also appeared on Broadway in the plays '' The Glass Menagerie'' (2005) and '' Collected Stories'' (2010), and the

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

plays ''

Crimes of the Heart ''Crimes of the Heart'' is a play by American playwright Beth Henley. It is set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in the mid-20th century. The play won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. In 1986, th ...

'' (2008) and '' Talley's Folly'' (2013).

Awards and nominations

Paulson has accumulated nominations for seven

s, five

Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

, and two

Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie and ...

, receiving one of each for her role in the limited series '' The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story''. She was also nominated for her work on other television programs, such as the comedy-drama series '' Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'', the political drama film '' Game Change'', and the horror anthology series '' American Horror Story''. For her performance in the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

-winning period drama film ''

'', she was nominated for the

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Motion Picture is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in film. Winners and nominees : 1990s 2000s 2010s 2 ...

References

Notes Bibliography * *

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Paulson, Sarah 1974 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Maine Actresses from New York City Actresses from Tampa, Florida American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actress Golden Globe winners Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni LGBT actresses American LGBT actors LGBT people from Florida LGBT people from New York (state) People from Park Slope People from Gramercy Park People from Queens, New York Florida Democrats New York (state) Democrats California Democrats Maine Democrats