Although this winning player made her professional debut at age 12 in an off-Broadway show, Paulson would have to wait two decades before landing her breakout role on Aaron Sorkin's flawed dramedy
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Not that the versatile actress ever lacked for work. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the eager twentysomething appeared on stage and in TV guest spots, and in 1995 she snagged her first small-screen lead — a dead woman trying to protect her brother from beyond the grave on the cult fantasy series
American Gothic. Unfortunately, the show was short-lived, just like most of her future small-screen projects (the sitcom
Leap of Faith, the tepid legal drama
The D.A.). Only the relationship dramedy
Jack & Jill, which lasted three seasons, showed some life. In between screen jobs, Paulson continued to appear on the stage, making a splash in the off-Broadway blood bath
Killer Joe, written by her then-boyfriend Tracy Letts. In 1999, she made her feature-film debut as a lesbian in the insipid drama
The Other Sister, and the role proved
prophetic: While filming the indie
Swimmers, she fell in love with costar Cherry Jones. Although they never spoke publicly about their relationship, they were quite affectionate in public and even attended the 2005 Tony Awards together. When Jones won the award for her work in the play
Doubt, she said, "Laura Winfield, I share this with you," a reference to the character Paulson was playing in the Broadway revival of
The Glass Menagerie. After a stint on
Deadwood, Paulson signed on to
Studio 60 as a sketch-comedy star who also happens to be a devout Christian, a character reportedly inspired by series creator Aaron Sorkin's ex-girlfriend Kristin Chenoweth. Paulson was extremely sympathetic in the difficult and potentially off-putting part, and come awards season, she was the only member of the starry cast (which included Matthew Perry, Steven Weber and Amanda Peet) to be recognized for her work.
Sarah Paulson Fast Facts:
- Made her small-screen debut in a 1994 episode of Law & Order.
- Her favorite actress growing up was Jessica Lange. She costarred opposite her idol in the 2005 Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.
- Sarah Paulson Relationships:
- Cherry Jones - Ex-significant Other
- Sarah Paulson Awards:
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Nominee
