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Sarah Paulson

Highest Rated: 100% Path to War (2002)

Lowest Rated: 7% New Year's Eve (2011)

Birthday: Dec 17, 1974

Birthplace: Tampa, Florida, USA

Throughout her versatile career, actress Sarah Paulson took on a variety of big and small screen roles which traversed all time periods and genres, from the frontiers of America's Old West on to the backstage corridors of contemporary late-night television and everything in between. Paulson began showcasing her abilities on the small screen and had her breakthrough role on the cult series "American Gothic" (CBS, 1995-98). After entering the feature world, she landed her second major series with the comedic drama "Jack & Jill" (The WB, 1999-2001), while making further strides in movies with "Held Up" (1999) and "What Women Want" (2000). She went on to supporting turns in dramas like "Path to War" (HBO, 2002) and lighthearted fare like "Down With Love" (2003), before turning in a fine performance as an undercover Pinkerton agent on "Deadwood" (HBO, 2004-05). From there, Paulson was catapulted to stardom as one of the critically acclaimed stars on the high-profile, but short-lived drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (NBC, 2006-07). At the same time, she made brief tabloid news where her partner, Cherry Jones, inadvertently outed her in a Tony Awards acceptance speech. Meanwhile, Paulson's career continued unabated with a string of guest starring roles and an acclaimed supporting turn in "Game Change" (HBO, 2012) before becoming a fixture on the acclaimed anthology series "American Horror Story" (FX 2011- ). Definitely paying her dues on a number of short-lived TV series and highly anticipated films that fell flat, Paulson was a savvy performer who managed to find success going down a road less traveled.

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Highest rated movies

100% 74% Path to War
Watchlist
97% 80% Mud
Watchlist
95% 90% 12 Years a Slave Watchlist 94% 75% Carol Watchlist
91% 78% Blue Jay
Watchlist
90% 71% Martha Marcy May Marlene
Watchlist
88% 74% The Post Watchlist 88% 74% Run Watchlist
83% 74% Swimmers
Watchlist
83% 95% Abominable Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
40% 48% Hold Your Breath Margaret Bellum (Character) - 2024
No Score Yet 56% Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration Self - 2022
88% 74% Run Diane Sherman (Character) - 2020
57% 42% Coastal Elites Unknown (Character) - 2020
83% 95% Abominable Dr. Zara (Voice) $60.9M 2019
24% 72% The Goldfinch Xandra (Character) $5.3M 2019
37% 66% Glass Dr. Ellie Staple (Character) $111.0M 2019
64% 58% Bird Box Jessica (Character) - 2018
69% 47% Ocean's 8 Tammy (Character) $139.4M 2018
88% 74% The Post Tony Bradlee (Character) $81.4M 2017
29% 64% Rebel in the Rye Dorothy Olding (Character) $376.7K 2017
91% 78% Blue Jay Amanda (Character) $5.2K 2016
94% 75% Carol Abby Gerhard (Character) $12.7M 2015
24% 22% The Runner Kate Haber (Character) - 2015
95% 90% 12 Years a Slave Mistress Epps (Character) $56.7M 2013
97% 80% Mud Mary Lee (Character) $21.6M 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet twitterkills Sarah Pendersen (Character) - 2013
60% 67% Stars in Shorts Woman (Character) - 2012
50% 30% Fairhaven Kate (Character) - 2012
28% 33% The Time Being Sarah (Character) - 2012
67% 76% Game Change Nicolle Wallace (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet After-School Special Woman (Character) - 2011
7% 45% New Year's Eve Grace Schwab (Character) $54.5M 2011
90% 71% Martha Marcy May Marlene Lucy (Character) $3.0M 2011
No Score Yet 78% November Christmas Beth Marks (Character) - 2010
14% 25% The Spirit Ellen (Character) $19.8M 2008
No Score Yet 27% A Christmas Wedding Emily (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 78% Griffin and Phoenix Peri (Character) - 2006
69% 57% Diggers Julie (Character) - 2006
58% 51% The Notorious Bettie Page Bunny Yeager (Character) $1.4M 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Louis L' Amour's Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshall Unknown (Character) - 2006
82% 91% Serenity Dr. Caron (Character) $25.3M 2005
83% 74% Swimmers Merrill (Character) $33.4K 2005
60% 62% Down With Love Vikki Hiller (Character) $20.3M 2003
100% 74% Path to War Luci Baines Johnson (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 77% Bug Eilleen (Character) - 2002
54% 54% What Women Want Annie (Character) $182.8M 2000
17% 42% Held Up Mary (Character) $4.7M 2000
29% 71% The Other Sister Heather Tate (Character) $27.8M 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shaughnesy Unknown (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 39% The Long Way Home Leanne Bossert (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Levitation Acey (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Friends at Last Diana (age 21) (Character) - 1995

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 55% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2024
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Guest 2016-2020 2024
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2016-2017 2019-2021 2023-2024
91% 67% Mr. & Mrs. Smith Therapist (Guest Star) 2024
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2014 2016-2017 2020-2021 2024
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2014 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2016-2021
84% 90% American Crime Story Linda Tripp (Character),
Executive Producer
2016 2021
77% 66% American Horror Story Mamie Eisenhower (Character),
Audrey Tindall/Lana Winters/Shelby Miller (Guest Star),
Director
2011-2018 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2013 2017 2019-2021
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2014 2018 2020-2021
62% 69% Ratched Nurse Mildred Ratched (Character),
Producer
2020
96% 70% Mrs. America Alice (Character) 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Variety Studio: Actors on Actors Guest 2016 2019
No Score Yet 64% Family Guy Herself/Marcia Clark/Costumed Woman (Guest Voice) 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Graham Norton Show Guest 2018-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2018
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2018
41% 61% Chelsea Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2015
No Score Yet 91% The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson Guest 2014
100% 78% Late Show With David Letterman Guest 2014
72% 89% Desperate Housewives Lydia Lindquist (Guest Star) 2007 2011
84% 72% Grey's Anatomy Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Anne Gillette (Guest Star) 2010
43% No Score Yet Cupid Dr. Claire McCrae (Character) 2009
74% 90% Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Harriet Hayes (Character) 2006-2007
92% 95% Deadwood Miss Isringhausen (Guest Star) 2005
74% 82% Nip/Tuck Agatha Ripp (Guest Star) 2004
63% No Score Yet The D.A. Chief Deputy D.A. Lisa Patterson (Character) 2004
40% No Score Yet Leap of Faith Faith Wardwell (Character) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack & Jill Elisa Cronkite (Character) 1999-2001
63% 100% American Gothic Merlyn Temple (Character) 1995-1996 1998
60% No Score Yet Cracker Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 83% Law & Order Unknown (Guest Star) 1994