
It’s likely that Ryan Murphy’s preference for dramatic, larger-than-life characters matches what actress Sarah Paulson enjoys playing. As Paulson herself said on the podcast Las Culturistas, she’s drawn to roles that allow for significant physical transformations – “I like a peg leg and a black tooth.” That perfectly describes the kinds of characters Murphy consistently gives her. Paulson has a remarkable ability to fully embody anyone the creator envisions. With that in mind, we’ve ranked all of her performances in Ryan Murphy’s shows, considering factors like how much screaming the role involved, the time spent in hair and makeup, and the number of cigarettes smoked.