Sarah Paulson
Biography
Sarah Catharine Paulson, born December 17, 1974, in Tampa, Florida, is an American actress. She began her career in New York City stage productions before moving to television, where she starred in the short‑lived series American Gothic (1995–1996) and Jack & Jill (1999–2001). Paulson transitioned to film with roles in the comedies What Women Want (2000) and Down with Love (2003) and the dramas Path to War (2002) and The Notorious Bettie Page (2005). From 2006 to 2007 she portrayed Harriet Hayes in the NBC comedy‑drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, earning her first Golden Globe nomination. In 2008 she appeared as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit.
Career overview
Sarah Catharine Paulson was born on December 17, 1974, in Tampa, Florida, and began her acting career in stage productions in New York City. Her early television work included starring roles in the short‑lived series American Gothic, which aired from 1995 to 1996, and the sitcom Jack & Jill, which ran from 1999 to 2001. Transitioning to film, Paulson appeared in the comedy What Women Want in 2000 and the period romantic comedy Down with Love in 2003. She also took on dramatic roles, featuring in Path to War in 2002 and portraying the title figure in The Notorious Bettie Page in 2005.
From 2006 to 2007 Paulson played Harriet Hayes in the NBC comedy‑drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a performance that earned her a first Golden Globe Award nomination. In 2008 she returned to the big screen as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit. Throughout these years Paulson built a diverse portfolio that spans stage, television, and film, encompassing both comedic and dramatic material. Her career reflects a steady progression from early television series to notable roles in feature films and critically recognized television work.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Baby Doe (2026) Executive Producer
- All's Fair (2025) as Carrington Lane
- All's Fair (2025) Executive Producer
- Insider (2025) as Sig selv
- Escape Room (2025)
- Garden State - The 20th Anniversary Concert (2025) as Self - Presenter
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024) as Therapist
- Hold Your Breath (2024) as Margaret Bellum
- Hold Your Breath (2024) Executive Producer
- The Bear (2022) as Cousin Michelle
- Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration (2022)
- Adele One Night Only (2021) as Self
- The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin (2021) Executive Producer
- Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&A (2021) as Self
- Mrs. America (2020) as Alice
- Ratched (2020) as Mildred Ratched
- Ratched (2020) Executive Producer
- Run (2020) as Mother / Diane
- Coastal Elites (2020) as Clarissa Montgomery
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Glass (2019) as Dr. Ellie Staple
- Abominable (2019) as Dr. Zara (voice)
- The Goldfinch (2019) as Xandra
- Ocean's Eight (2018) as Tammy
- Bird Box (2018) as Jessica
- Ocean's Team 3.0 (2018) as Self
- Reimagining The Met Gala (2018) as Self
- The Post (2017) as Tony Bradlee
- FEUD (2017) as Geraldine Page
- Rebel in the Rye (2017) as Dorothy Olding
- Chelsea (2016) as Self
- American Crime Story (2016) as Marcia Clark
- American Crime Story (2016) as Linda Tripp
- American Crime Story (2016) Executive Producer
- Blue Jay (2016) as Amanda
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter (2015) as Self
- Carol (2015) as Abby Gerhard
- The Runner (2015) as Kate Haber
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014) as Self
- #twitterkills (2014) as Sarah Pendersen
- 12 Years a Slave (2013) as Mary Epps
- Mud (2013) as Mary Lee
- Fairhaven (2013) as Kate
- Blue (2012) as Lavinia
- Game Change (2012) as Nicolle Wallace
- Stars in Shorts (2012) as Woman
- The Time Being (2012) as Sarah
- American Horror Story (2011) as Lana Winters
- American Horror Story (2011) as Cordelia Goode / Wilhemina Venable / Billie Dean Howard
- American Horror Story (2011) as Billie Dean Howard
- American Horror Story (2011) as Bette Tattler / Dot Tattler
- American Horror Story (2011) as Sally McKenna / Billie Dean Howard
- American Horror Story (2011) as Audrey Tindall / Lana Winters
- American Horror Story (2011) as Ally Mayfair-Richards / Susan Atkins
- American Horror Story (2011) as Tuberculosis Karen / Mamie Eisenhower
- American Horror Story (2011) as Cordelia Goode
- American Horror Story (2011) Director
- American Horror Story (2011) Executive Producer
- New Year's Eve (2011) as Grace Schwab
- Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) as Lucy
- November Christmas (2011) as Beth Marks
- After-School Special (2011) as Woman
- Conan (2010) as Self - Guest
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- Cupid (2009) as Dr. Claire McCrae
- Whose Dog Is It Anyway? (2009) as Emma
- The Spirit (2008) as Ellen Dolan
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Diggers (2007) as Julie
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) as Harriet Hayes
- The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) as Bunny Yeager
- Griffin & Phoenix (2006) as Peri
- A Christmas Wedding (2006) as Emily
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Young Ellis Grey
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005) as Self
- Serenity (2005) as Dr. Caron
- Swimmers (2005) as Merrill
- Desperate Housewives (2004) as Lydia Lindquist
- Deadwood (2004) as Alice Isringhausen
- The D.A. (2004) as Lisa Patterson
- Nip/Tuck (2003) as Agatha Ripp
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Down with Love (2003) as Vikki Hiller
- Path to War (2003) as Luci Baines Johnson
- Leap of Faith (2002) as Faith Wardwell
- Bug (2002) as Eileen
- What Women Want (2000) as Annie
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Anne Gillette
- Family Guy (1999) as Sarah Paulson / Marcia Clark / Costumed Woman (voice)
- Jack & Jill (1999) as Elisa Cronkite
- The Other Sister (1999) as Heather Tate
- Held Up (1999) as Mary
- The Long Way Home (1998) as Leanne Bossert
- Levitation (1997) as Acey
- Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal (1996)
- The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA (1995) as Self
- American Gothic (1995) as Merlyn Temple
- Friends at Last (1995) as Diana - Age 21
- Touched by an Angel (1994) as Zoe
- Late Show with David Letterman (1993) as Self - Guest
- Law & Order (1990) as Maggie Conner
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- The Emmy Awards (1949) as Self
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Mother Courage as Sandra Vale
- Pretty/Handsome as Corky Fromme
- Clybourne Park
- I Am Sybil as Connie Wilbur
- Talley's Folly as Sally Talley
- Ethel