The role Sarah Paulson instantly regretted playing: “I just don’t care at all”
Sarah Paulson is widely considered one of the finest actors working in Hollywood today, with a résumé packed full of standout performances. But despite the critical acclaim she’s received, Paulson has openly confessed to hating one of her most praised roles – a surprising admission from someone known for total commitment to her craft.
The many television shows created and produced by Ryan Murphy have been highly controversial, as his maximalist, melodramatic style has drawn both praise and criticism. Although it’s often agreed upon that the way Murphy chooses to tell his stories is done in poor taste, he rarely fails to get great performers to join his casts, and no one has stood out more than Sarah Paulson.
Although their relationship kicked off when Paulson had a small part in the drama series Nip/Tuck, she became the quintessential Murphy collaborator thanks to multiple appearances in the anthology series American Horror Story, which recycled its cast each season. However, it was getting cast as Marcia Clark in the Murphy-produced miniseries American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson that changed her career forever.
Although the true crime case had been the biggest news story of the ‘90s, The People vs. O.J. Simpson managed to find new depth within the various players involved in “the trial of the century”. Paulson was particularly sublime in the role of the prosecuting attorney who led the case against Simpson (played by Cuba Gooding Jr), and finally took home her first Primetime Emmy Award.
As rewarding as it may have been to be unanimously praised for highlighting the perspective of a real person who wasn’t given a fair shake by history, Paulson came to realise that not every acting experience was going to be as empowering as The People vs. O.J. Simpson. Although she may have owed a debt to Murphy, Paulson came to detest having to return for the “underwhelming” season of American Horror Story: Roanoke.
“I just don’t care about this season at all,” Paulson said during a roundtable interview with Scott Feinberg. “I know people will get mad at me for saying it. To me, this was post-having played Marcia. It was what I went to do right after finishing Marcia and I was so underwhelmed by the whole experience.”
While it’s not always a great look for a working actor to bite the hand that feeds them, Paulson’s frustration with American Horror Story is understandable. The series has continuously retconned its own continuity, making it very confusing when actors return in different seasons to play new characters. There’s also the simple reality that the quality of the show seems to have been declining; while Paulson got rave reviews when she appeared in Murder House and Asylum, responses to Roanoke were far more muted.
It speaks to Paulson’s character that, despite her expressed disinterest, she hasn’t waned in her loyalty to Murphy. Although the subsequent season of American Horror Story, Cult, wasn’t received any more warmly, Paulson pulled off another excellent performance when she appeared in the third season of the American Crime Story anthology, subtitled Impeachment. In a season that focused on the scandalous affair between President Bill Clinton (Clive Owen) and Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein), Paulson was singled out for her brilliantly repulsive performance as Linda Tripp.
Murphy’s shows continue to ignite controversy, as his new anthology series Monster has been accused of exploiting true crime stories and not paying due respect to the victims. That being said, Paulson appears to still be part of the Murphy family, given that she’s popped up in American Horror Story: Cult, Feud: Bette and Joan, and Ratched; for better or worse, she and Murphy might be stuck together.
