Every Sarah Paulson Performance in a Ryan Murphy Show, Ranked

by

Sarah Paulson’s frequent appearances in Ryan Murphy’s shows have led many to jokingly wonder if she’s under some kind of spell! With her latest role as a divorce lawyer in the Hulu drama, she’s now played a total of 19 characters across 15 of Murphy’s projects, making her one of his most reliable stars – regardless of how well-received those shows are. Is this due to a long-term contract she may have signed way back in 2004 during Nip/Tuck? Or is she hesitant to step away and risk repeating the experience of a show that didn’t succeed, like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip?

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.

15.
American Horror Story: Double Feature — Tuberculosis Karen / Mamie Eisenhower (2021)

I picture the email Sarah Paulson received about her latest season of American Horror Story (even though she’s returning for season 13). It probably said something like, “I have a fantastic role for you – you’ll be playing both a character named Tuberculosis Karen and Mamie Eisenhower!” I doubt she even reacted. After so many unusual roles, I can’t imagine anything would surprise her at this point. Although “Tuberculosis Karen” sounds like a guaranteed hit, this season – which told two separate stories, one about the strange people who live in Provincetown during the off-season and the other about a 1950s alien conspiracy – wasn’t particularly memorable.

14.
American Horror Story: Apocalypse — Wilhemina Venable (2018)

The season Apocalypse brought back many beloved characters from previous seasons like Murder House, Coven, and Hotel, making for a huge and exciting reunion. However, it might have tried to include too much. Sarah Paulson played not only returning favorites Cordelia Goode and Billie Dean Howard, but also a new character, Wilhemina Venable, who led a strict outpost in a post-apocalyptic world. Unfortunately, these new roles felt overshadowed by the iconic returning characters, making the extra casting questionable—unless it helped fund Jessica Lange’s welcome return.

13.
American Horror Story: Hotel — Hypodermic Sally (2015)

Hypodermic Sally feels like a forerunner to the character Tuberculosis Karen, and I’d love to have seen more characters created with that same clever naming style. She’s a ghost addicted to drugs who has haunted the Hotel Cortez since being murdered in 1994, and she unexpectedly becomes a blogger after death. The thought of still having to blog even after dying was genuinely frightening! Although many consider this season to be where the show started to lose steam, it did give Sarah Paulson the chance to wear a fantastic bleached wig and leopard print coat – what more could you want? Beyond launching Lady Gaga’s acting career, perhaps the season’s most lasting legacy is the now-iconic meme of Paulson as Sally, cheerfully laughing in bed while looking at her phone.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=bDPIjTrhBts

12.
Feud: Bette and Joan — Geraldine Page (2017)

In the first season of Feud, Paulson brilliantly portrayed Geraldine Page, including a crucial phone call where Joan Crawford strong-armed her into missing the Oscars. Crawford’s plan was to be ready to accept the award if Page won, effectively stealing the spotlight from Bette Davis. Paulson perfectly captured the complex emotions of that short conversation – Page’s initial excitement at speaking with Crawford, her feeling of being bullied, and finally, her reluctant compliance out of sympathy. Page says, “Hollywood should be forced to look at what they’ve done to her,” and that’s exactly how I felt about Glenn Close’s performance in All’s Fair.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=aZ7slD_KcCQ

11.
American Horror Story: Murder House — Billie Dean Howard (2011)

As Valerie Cherish put it, this is where it all began! While not exactly the start (we’ll get to Nip/Tuck later), Lily Paulson’s role as the psychic Billie Dean Howard in the first season of American Horror Story really established her as a key player – not just in that show, but in Ryan Murphy’s wider universe of connected series. Often seen with a cigarette, she first helped Constance Langdon and then reappeared in Hotel and Apocalypse. Being able to communicate with the dead, it turns out, is a valuable talent when you want to be a recurring character on American Horror Story.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=jpZsqNX9tJs

10.
American Horror Story: Roanoke — Shelby Miller / Audrey Tindall (2016)

Season six of American Horror Story was a big departure for the show, and that meant a unique challenge for Sarah Paulson. The season was split into two parts: the first felt like a true-crime documentary about a haunted house in Roanoke, using interviews and acted-out scenes. The second half presented itself as the lost footage from a movie being made about that same haunted house. This meant Paulson played Audrey Tindall, a British actress who was playing Shelby Miller in the reenactments. It was layers of performance! Despite it being her least favorite season, this unusual format allowed us to see Paulson deliver a terrifying performance in two distinct styles.

9.
American Horror Story: Cult — Ally Mayfair-Richards (2017)

One of the most striking images from the season of American Horror Story dealing with the fallout from the 2016 election was Sarah Paulson’s character, Ally, hysterically wielding a bottle of rosé while being pursued by clowns in a grocery store. Though the season felt a bit too close to the actual election to offer deep insights, Paulson was the clear focus, with a much more substantial role – even briefly playing Susan Atkins in a flashback to the Manson murders. Her character underwent a dramatic transformation, evolving from a fearful victim into a ruthless killer. Notably, Ally is the only character confirmed to have voted for Jill Stein.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=DRre622KJUY

8.
Nip/Tuck — Agatha Ripp (2004)

Looking back at Sarah Paulson’s initial appearance on a show created by Ryan Murphy is striking, as it foreshadows the direction their collaborations would take. In Nip/Tuck, she played Agatha Ripp, a homeless woman possibly displaying stigmata – wounds mirroring those of Jesus’s crucifixion. The twist? A nun was actually self-inflicting the wounds to create a false miracle and gain funding. Despite the unusual storyline, heavy Southern accent, and unkempt appearance, Paulson delivered a remarkably realistic performance that perfectly embodies the kind of work she’d become known for.

7.
Ratched — Mildred Ratched (2020)

This series, a prequel to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is unique in that it’s the only time Paulson and Murphy have worked with a character not based on a real person – and it felt like a natural fit for their creative partnership. The show explores the backstory of the notorious Nurse Ratched, giving Paulson a chance to play a subtly unsettling role, a departure from her usual bold and dramatic performances. And, of course, it featured a memorable showdown between Paulson and Judy Davis over a peach – what more could you ask for?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=DlxSG9Yyd0g

6.
American Crime Story: Impeachment — Linda Tripp (2021)

Often, discussions about whether Sarah Paulson should have played the role, and the noticeable prosthetics used to transform her into Linda Tripp, overshadowed her actual performance. Despite this, Paulson delivered an excellent portrayal of a complex and infamous figure, showing Tripp’s flaws without excusing her actions. Paulson skillfully balanced portraying Tripp as both someone deserving of pity and a manipulative predator, a difficult feat she accomplished with remarkable precision.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=gH2xKX3_WrY

5.
All’s Fair — Carrington Lane (2025)

This new character feels like the culmination of everything Paulson and Murphy have created together. Paulson is the best part of this over-the-top, poorly-reviewed legal drama, and that’s because the show is specifically written to showcase her talents. She, in turn, is skilled at understanding the unique style of a Murphy production and delivering exactly the performance the script needs. She’s clearly enjoying herself with the wild dialogue and seems to be relishing her role as the villain. Despite the negative reviews, All’s Fair provides Paulson with a chance to really let loose and be as dramatic and eccentric as she wants, free from any need for realism. After consistently agreeing to whatever Murphy asks of her, this is a deserved opportunity for her to fully embrace her craft and have fun. She also frequently mentions come, which influenced my assessment, but I won’t reveal whether positively or negatively.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=jhEnSoI-lbE

4.
American Horror Story: Coven — Cordelia Goode (2013)

Cordelia Goode, the headmistress of Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (a school for witches), was a stabilizing force among a group of characters with quirky, internet-inspired dialogue. Sarah Paulson’s portrayal of the kind teacher offered a contrast to Cordelia’s sharp and stylish mother, Fiona Goode (played by Jessica Lange), who previously held the title of Supreme. Interestingly, after Cordelia was attacked with acid and blinded, Paulson was able to utilize prosthetics to convincingly portray the resulting burns.

3.
American Horror Story: Freak Show — Bette and Dot Tattler (2014)

It’s rare for an actor to play two roles, especially two characters sharing a single body. Sarah Paulson did just that as conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. She filmed every scene twice, using a prosthetic head to create the illusion of two people, and developed completely different personalities for each twin. The contrast between Bette’s sweet nature and Dot’s dominant personality was key to telling them apart. This meant Paulson essentially had to act in scenes with herself – a technique jokingly called “Lohan-ing.” And as a bonus, the twins performed a memorable rendition of Fiona Apple’s “Criminal.”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=dWlPgimnrV8

2.
American Horror Story: Asylum — Lana Winters (2012)

As Sister Jude famously said, “Lana, Lana, bo-bana, banana-fanna, fo-fanna, fee-fi-mo-mana, Lana!” Lana Winters, played by Sarah Paulson, quickly became a fan favorite. She was a journalist wrongly committed to the asylum after investigating its disturbing truths. This role was Paulson’s first as a leading character in a Ryan Murphy series, and many believe her performance as Lana is what makes this season the best of American Horror Story.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=kbYax0ELcLU

1.
American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson — Marcia Clark (2016)

Sarah Paulson’s most acclaimed role in a project led by Ryan Murphy is arguably as Marcia Clark in the first season of American Crime Story. Her performance was so compelling that it not only won her an Emmy, but also dramatically shifted how the public viewed the O.J. Simpson prosecutor. In particular, the episode “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” showed Clark as a complex person, highlighting the sexist treatment she endured and capturing the details of her mannerisms – from her speech to her walk. Even while portraying a real person, Paulson and Murphy’s signature dramatic style was still evident. Though Clark wasn’t subjected to the same level of terror as some of Paulson’s other characters, the attention to detail was still there – the perfectly styled wig, the carefully placed mole, and a constant supply of cigarettes, all contributing to a performance worthy of an Emmy.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=4vQn-j1flkQ

Read More

2025-12-09 18:57