Sarah Paulson is a highly accomplished American actress with an estimated net worth of $12 million. She gained recognition through her roles in “American Horror Story” (2011-present), “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (2016), and “Ratched” (2020). Besides her TV work, she has featured in several notable films such as “What Women Want” (2000), “12 Years a Slave” (2013), “Carol” (2015), “Bird Box” (2018), and “Ocean’s 8” (2018).
Apart from her work in film and television, Sarah has a remarkable theater career, having graced Broadway with performances in productions like “The Glass Menagerie” (2005) and “Collected Stories” (2010). She has earned over 20 prestigious awards, including a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, particularly for her portrayal of Marcia Clark in “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” In 2020, Netflix revealed that her series “Ratched” became their best original launch of the year, being viewed 48 million times in its first month of release. Additionally, Sarah was listed in “Time” magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people in 2017.
Early Life of Sarah Paulson
Sarah Catharine Paulson was born on December 17, 1974, in Tampa, Florida. Her parents, Catharine and Douglas, separated when Sarah was just five years old. She and her sister Liz relocated to Maine with their mother and eventually moved to New York City. Sarah’s mother worked as a waitress at Sardi’s Restaurant to support the family.
Sarah attended P.S. 29 in Brooklyn and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in Manhattan. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1992. Upon completing her studies, she began performing in stage productions across New York City and made her television debut in a 1994 episode of “Law & Order.”
Sarah Paulson’s Career Journey
In 1995, Sarah appeared in the television film “Friends at Last” and soon after started playing the role of a ghost on CBS’s series “American Gothic.” Following that, she booked a lead role in the indie film “Levitation” (1997) and starred alongside Juliette Lewis and Diane Keaton in “The Other Sister” (1999). From 1999 to 2001, she played Elisa Cronkite on the WB’s “Jack & Jill.”
Sarah’s career continued to progress with roles in movies like “What Women Want” (2000) and “Bug” (2002). In 2002, she also portrayed Luci Baines Johnson in the HBO film “Path to War” and played the lead role in NBC’s sitcom “Leap of Faith.” She featured in films such as “Down with Love” (2003), “Serenity” (2005), and “The Notorious Bettie Page” (2005), and guest-starred on FX’s “Nip/Tuck,” marking the beginning of her long-standing collaborations with Ryan Murphy, which later extended to “American Horror Story,” “American Crime Story,” and “Ratched.”
In 2005, she began a recurring role on HBO’s “Deadwood” and co-starred in “The Glass Menagerie” on Broadway. In 2007, Sarah starred in Aaron Sorkin’s NBC dramedy “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” which led to nominations from both the Golden Globe Awards and the Satellite Awards. Additionally, Sarah guest-starred on “Desperate Housewives” in 2007 and 2011, and appeared on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Law & Order: SVU” in 2010.
Between 2011 and 2012, Sarah’s film credits included “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” “New Year’s Eve,” “Mud,” and “Game Change” (2012), which earned her nominations from both the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes. She also appeared in the films “The Runner” (2015), “Glass” (2019), and “The Goldfinch” (2019).
Sarah Paulson’s Iconic Role in American Horror Story
Sarah’s most prominent role came in 2011 when she joined the cast of the anthology series “American Horror Story: Murder House.” She went on to feature in nearly every season of the show, portraying a range of characters including the medium Billie Dean Howard in “Murder House” (2011), writer Lana Winters in “Asylum” (2012-2013), and witch Cordelia Foxx in “Coven” (2013-2014).
Throughout the series, Sarah portrayed various memorable roles such as conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler in “Freak Show” (2014-2015), Hypodermic Sally and Billie Dean Howard in “Hotel” (2015-2016), and Shelby Miller, Audrey Tindall, and Lana Winters in “Roanoke” (2016). In “Cult” (2017), she played Ally Mayfair-Richards and Susan Atkins, and in “Apocalypse” (2018), she portrayed Wilhemina Venable and Cordelia Goode.
In 2016, Sarah received widespread acclaim for her portrayal of Marcia Clark in “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” winning several prestigious awards. Her portrayal of Clark even earned her a visit from the real Marcia Clark at the Emmy Awards. Sarah is also set to play Linda Tripp in the upcoming season of “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” set to air in 2021. In 2020, Sarah began playing Nurse Mildred Ratched in Netflix’s series “Ratched,” which serves as a prequel to the novel/film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Sarah has been open about her personal life, including her past relationships. She dated actress Cherry Jones from 2004 to 2009, and before that, she had only been in relationships with men, including playwright Tracy Letts, whom she was once engaged to.
In 2015, she began a relationship with actress Holland Taylor, and the couple went on to receive the “Love is Great” award at The Queerties in 2019. In 2018, the fashion website Net-a-Porter named Sarah one of the best-dressed women of the year. Politically, Sarah is a Democrat and appeared in the anti-Trump HBO satire “Coastal Elites” during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Paulson’s Awards and Nominations
Sarah has received widespread recognition for her work, with seven Primetime Emmy nominations. In 2016, she won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role as Marcia Clark in “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” Her performance earned her numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and several other prestigious honors.
For her work in “American Horror Story,” Sarah won two Critics Choice Television Awards, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, two Gold Derby Awards, and a Satellite Award. She also shared a Black Film Critics Circle Award with the cast of “12 Years a Slave” and received a Robert Altman Award at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards for “Mud.”
Sarah Paulson’s Real Estate Investments
In 2016, Sarah purchased a 2,100-square-foot home in Hollywood Hills West for $1.65 million. The house, which has three bedrooms, was previously owned by Sarah’s “American Horror Story” co-star Emma Roberts. The property also includes a guest house and a buried swimming pool that Sarah uncovered during renovations. This investment reflects Sarah’s growing success and wealth over the years.
Sarah Paulson’s diverse career and remarkable achievements in acting, theater, and film have firmly established her as a leading figure in the entertainment industry. Her impressive net worth, extensive awards, and dedicated fan following showcase her immense talent and contributions to the acting.
