Sarah Paulson Net Worth

What is Sarah Paulson's Net Worth?

Sarah Paulson is an American actress who has a net worth of $12 million.

After years of steady work in shows such as "American Gothic," "Jack & Jill," and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," Paulson became one of the defining faces of Ryan Murphy's television universe through her many roles on "American Horror Story." She reached a new level of acclaim in 2016 for playing prosecutor Marcia Clark in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," a performance that won her an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award. Paulson has also appeared in films including "12 Years a Slave," "Carol," "Ocean's 8," "Bird Box," "Glass," and "Run." In 2024, she added a major stage achievement to her résumé when she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for "Appropriate." Her career has been defined by versatility, emotional intensity, and a willingness to play complicated women in both mainstream and prestige projects.

Early Life

Sarah Catharine Paulson was born on December 17, 1974, in Tampa, Florida. Her parents separated when she was young, and she spent part of her childhood in Maine before moving with her mother to New York City. Growing up in New York gave Paulson early access to theater, which became the foundation of her acting career.

She attended the High School for Performing Arts and later studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Paulson began acting professionally in the 1990s, working in theater and television before gradually becoming one of the most respected character actors of her generation.

Early Television Career

Paulson's first major television role came in "American Gothic," the CBS horror drama that aired from 1995 to 1996. She played Merlyn Temple, a ghostly presence in the Southern Gothic series. Although the show was short-lived, it helped establish Paulson as an actress comfortable with dark, unusual material.

She later starred in "Jack & Jill," which aired from 1999 to 2001, and appeared in a number of television projects throughout the early 2000s. One of her most prominent pre-breakthrough roles was Harriet Hayes on Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." The NBC drama only lasted one season, but Paulson's performance earned strong attention and demonstrated her ability to handle sharp, fast-paced dialogue.

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American Horror Story and Ryan Murphy Collaborations

Paulson's career changed significantly when she began collaborating with producer Ryan Murphy. She first appeared in "American Horror Story: Murder House" in 2011 and went on to become one of the anthology series' central performers. Over the years, she played characters including Lana Winters in "Asylum," Cordelia Foxx in "Coven," Bette and Dot Tattler in "Freak Show," Hypodermic Sally in "Hotel," Audrey Tindall in "Roanoke," Ally Mayfair-Richards in "Cult," and Wilhemina Venable in "Apocalypse."

Her work on "American Horror Story" made her a fan favorite and earned her multiple Emmy nominations. The series also allowed her to move between horror, melodrama, camp, tragedy, and psychological drama, often within the same season.

Paulson's partnership with Murphy extended beyond "American Horror Story." She starred as Marcia Clark in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," played Linda Tripp in "Impeachment: American Crime Story," and portrayed Nurse Mildred Ratched in Netflix's "Ratched." Her Murphy collaborations became one of the defining threads of her career.

The People v. O.J. Simpson

Paulson earned some of the best reviews of her career for "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." In the FX limited series, she played Marcia Clark, the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The role gave Paulson a chance to portray Clark not as a tabloid figure, but as a skilled attorney navigating sexism, media scrutiny, personal stress, and a chaotic legal circus.

Her performance became the emotional center of the series. Paulson won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, as well as the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award. The role marked a major turning point, moving her from respected working actress to one of the most acclaimed performers on television.

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Film Career

Paulson has also built a strong film career, often in supporting roles that add sharpness or emotional weight to ensemble casts. She appeared in "What Women Want," "Down with Love," "Serenity," "Martha Marcy May Marlene," "Mud," "12 Years a Slave," "Carol," "The Post," "Ocean's 8," and "Bird Box."

In "12 Years a Slave," she played Mary Epps, the cruel wife of slave owner Edwin Epps. In "Carol," she played Abby Gerhard, the loyal former partner and confidante of Cate Blanchett's title character. In "Ocean's 8," she joined an all-star cast that included Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Paulson has also taken leading roles in smaller or genre-driven films. She starred opposite Mark Duplass in "Blue Jay," played Dr. Ellie Staple in "Glass," and led the Hulu thriller "Run" as Diane Sherman, a controlling mother with sinister secrets.

Broadway and Stage Work

Before becoming a television star, Paulson built much of her craft on stage. She appeared on Broadway in "The Glass Menagerie" in 2005 and "Collected Stories" in 2010. She also worked Off-Broadway in productions including "Crimes of the Heart" and "Talley's Folly."

Her biggest stage success came with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' "Appropriate." Paulson starred as Toni, a woman confronting family secrets and generational dysfunction after the death of her father. The performance brought her widespread acclaim and won her the 2024 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. "Appropriate" also won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Personal Life

Sarah dated actress Cherry Jones from 2004 to 2009 and has said that before Jones, she had only had relationships with men, including playwright Tracy Letts, with whom she was once engaged. She began a relationship with actress Holland Taylor in 2015, and the couple won the "Love is Great" award at the The Queerties in 2019. In 2018, the fashion website Net-a-Porter named Paulson one of the year's best-dressed women. Sarah is a Democrat and appeared in the anti-Trump HBO satire "Coastal Elites" during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.

Awards and Nominations

Paulson has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmys, winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie for "The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story" in 2016. Her portrayal of Marcia Clark also earned her a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, Critics' Choice TV Award, OFTA Television Award, Satellite Award, Television Critics Association Award, three Gold Derby TV Awards (Performer of the Year, TV Movie/Mini Lead Actress, and TV Movie/Mini Actress of the Decade), and a Dorian Award from GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. For "American Horror Story," Sarah has won two Critics' Choice Television Awards, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, two Gold Derby Awards, an OFTA Television Award, and a Satellite Award. She earned an Awards Circuit Community Award and OFTA Television Award for her performance in "Game Change." Paulson also shared a Black Film Critics Circle Award with her "12 Years a Slave" castmates, and the cast of "Mud" received the Robert Altman Award at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Real Estate

In 2016, Sarah paid $1.65 million for a 2,100-square-foot home in the Hollywood Hills West area of Los Angeles. She bought the 3-bedroom house from "American Horror Story" co-star Emma Roberts, and the property includes a guest house as well as a buried swimming pool that Paulson discovered when she began renovations.

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