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.
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Biography from TMDB.
- December 17, 1974 (51)
- Tampa, Florida, USA
- Actor, also producer
- 55 on MovieCove · 77 credits in all
What are Sarah Paulson's films like?
Across their 38 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 2 · Wry 0 · Earnest 28
A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 9 · Dark 13
A split, not a type: Grounded 19 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 5
Gentle 5 · Charged 16 · Intense 9
A split, not a type: Steady 16 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 3
Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 2
Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 1
Casual 9 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 7
A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 12
A split, not a type: Resolved 16 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 4
Roles they play
Usually the Ally: 7 of 23 analyzed roles.
Show the 23 rolesHide the roles
- Allyas Leanne Bossert in The Long Way Home (1998)
- Tricksteras Governor George Wallace in Path to War (2002)
- Allyas Vikki Hiller in Down with Love (2003)
- Allyas Peri in Griffin & Phoenix (2006)
- Allyas Claire McCrae in Cupid (2009)
- Allyas Beth Marks in November Christmas (2010)
- Threshold guardianas Lucy in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
- Heroas Cordelia Goode in American Horror Story (2011)
- Allyas Sarah in The Time Being (2012)
- Heraldas Kate in Fairhaven (2012)
- Tricksteras Abby Gerhard in Carol (2015)
- Allyas Kate Haber in The Runner (2015)
- Shapeshifteras Amanda in Blue Jay (2016)
- Heraldas Linda Tripp in American Crime Story (2016)
- Shapeshifteras Dr. Ellie Staple in Glass (2019)
- Threshold guardianas Dr. Zara in Abominable (2019)
- Tricksteras Mother in Run (2020)
- Threshold guardianas Mother in Run (2020)
- Mentoras Clarissa Montgomery in Coastal Elites (2020)
- Shadowas Nurse Mildred Ratched in Ratched (2020)
- Shadowas Mother in Run (2020)
- Shadowas Margaret Bellum in Hold Your Breath (2024)
- Heroas Sandra Vale in Closing Night (2026)
Moods and endings
- Happy6
- Bittersweet28
- Ambiguous4
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Sarah Paulson's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 43 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (14).
- The Bear (2022) · actor
- American Crime Story (2016) · actor, producer
- Feud (2017) · actor
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) · actor
- American Horror Story (2011) · actor, director, producer
- Mrs. America (2020) · actor
- Desperate Housewives (2004) · actor
- Law & Order (1990) · actor
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) · actor
- Family Guy (1999) · actor
- Nip/Tuck (2003) · actor
- Run (2020) · actor
- +2 more
- Howdy, show their 4 titles on Howdy
- Lionsgate+, show their 3 titles on Lionsgate+
- Cinemax, show their 2 titles on Cinemax
- MovieSphere+, show their 2 titles on MovieSphere+
- FOX One, show their title on FOX One
- Magnolia Selects, show their title on Magnolia Selects
- Shout! TV, show their title on Shout! TV
- Sundance Now, show their title on Sundance Now
- ViX, show their title on ViX
Subscription and free streaming for Sarah Paulson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
77 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Closing Night(2026)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Baby Doe(2025)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
All's Fair(2025)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
Escape Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Insider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Hold Your Breath(2024)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Mr. & Mrs. Smith(2024)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows
The Bear(2022)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
The Way Down(2021)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows
Run(2020)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Ratched(2020)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows
Coastal Elites(2020)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Mrs. America(2020)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
Abominable(2019)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
The Goldfinch(2019)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Glass(2019)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Bird Box(2018)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Ocean's Eight(2018)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
The Post(2017)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Rebel in the Rye(2017)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Feud(2017)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Blue Jay(2016)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
American Crime Story(2016)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
Carol(2015)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
The Runner(2015)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
#twitterkills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
12 Years a Slave(2013)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Mud(2012)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Fairhaven(2012)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Stars in Shorts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
The Time Being(2012)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Game Change(2012)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
New Year's Eve(2011)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Martha Marcy May Marlene(2011)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
American Horror Story(2011)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
After-School Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
November Christmas(2010)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all filmsWhose Dog Is It Anyway? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Cupid(2009)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows
The Spirit(2008)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Diggers(2006)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
A Christmas Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Griffin & Phoenix(2006)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Serenity(2005)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Grey's Anatomy(2005)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Swimmers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Desperate Housewives(2004)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
The D.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Path to War(2002)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Nip/Tuck(2003)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Down with Love(2003)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Bug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Leap of Faith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
What Women Want(2000)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Held Up(1999)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Jack & Jill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
The Other Sister(1999)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Family Guy(1999)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
The Long Way Home(1998)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Levitation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Shaughnessy(1996)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
American Gothic(1995)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
Friends at Last (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Touched by an Angel(1994)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
Law & Order(1990)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all showsClybourne Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Ethel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
I Am Sybil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Pretty/Handsome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Ratched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Talley's Folly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 78 titles, 72 of them dated from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2019.
Biggest box office
Ocean's Eight (2018)
Highest rated
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Most popular right now
American Horror Story (2011)
Film career
Peak 2019 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 17 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1995Screen debut· American Gothic
- 1999First film· The Other Sister
- 2006First top-billed film· A Christmas Wedding
- 2006Golden Globe nomination· Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
- 2011Primetime Emmy nomination· American Horror Story
- 2012Primetime Emmy nomination· Game Change
Show 6 more milestonesShow fewer
- 2013Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· 12 Years a Slave
- 2013Independent Spirit Award win· Mud
- 2016Primetime Emmy win· American Crime Story
- 2020Career best· Ratched
- 2020Career best· Run
- 2020Golden Globe nomination· Ratched
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 other major award from 16 major nominations, 2007–2024.
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
- Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
+1 other major body · 1 win
- Independent Spirit Award, won
Show 3 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Sarah Paulson's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 36; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up28
- 50th to 74th14
- 25th to 49th7
- Below 25th6
Shape of the crowd
30 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved9
- Divisive2
- Cult Classic4
- Crowd Pleaser30
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed9
Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 55. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Sarah Paulson's work okay for kids?
Across up to 22 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Sarah Paulson work with?
People who share at least 2 of Sarah Paulson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jay Roach shares the most, 2.
Directors
- Jay RoachShared titles: Coastal Elites (2020), Game Change (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Jay Roach
Actors
- Naomi WattsShared titles: Closing Night (2026), All's Fair (2025)See all 2 shared titles with Naomi Watts
- Annaleigh AshfordShared titles: Hold Your Breath (2024), American Crime Story (2016)See all 2 shared titles with Annaleigh Ashford
- Adam David ThompsonShared titles: Glass (2019), Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Adam David Thompson
- Samuel L. JacksonShared titles: Glass (2019), The Spirit (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Samuel L. Jackson
Cinematographers and editors
- Luke CiarrocchiShared titles: Hold Your Breath (2024), Glass (2019)See all 2 shared titles with Luke Ciarrocchi
- Jim DenaultShared titles: Coastal Elites (2020), Game Change (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Jim Denault
Producers
- Rhonda BakerShared titles: Run (2020), Held Up (1999)See all 2 shared titles with Rhonda Baker
- Jason BlumShared titles: Glass (2019), Griffin & Phoenix (2006)See all 2 shared titles with Jason Blum
- Christine VachonShared titles: Carol (2015), The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)See all 2 shared titles with Christine Vachon
- Tessa RossShared titles: Carol (2015), 12 Years a Slave (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Tessa Ross
