Sarah Paulson first appeared in the "Family Values" episode of the police procedural and legal drama television series ‘Law & Order’ in 1994. The following year, she joined the main cast of the horror series ‘American Gothic.’ She played the role of ‘Merlyn Temple’ and remained a part of the series until it went off-air in 1996. Paulson made her big-screen debut in the 1997 film ‘Levitation,’ directed by Scott D. Goldstein. Following her debut, she starred in ‘The Other Sister’ (1999), ‘What Women Want’ (2000), ‘Bug’ (2002), ‘Down with Love’ (2003), and ‘The Notorious Bettie Page’ (2005).
In 2006, she starred as ‘Harriet Hayes’ in the American comedy-drama television series ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’ for which she won a ‘Golden Globe Award’ nomination. The show was canceled after completing its first season in 2007. She next appeared in television series like ‘Desperate Housewives’ (2007), ‘Cupid’ (2009), ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (2010), and ‘Grey's Anatomy’ (2010). In 2011, she appeared in the ‘American Horror Story: Murder House,’ the first season of the FX horror anthology television series ‘American Horror Story.’ Paulson also appeared in other seasons of ‘American Horror Story,’ including ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’ (2012-2013) and American Horror Story: Freak Show’ (2014-2015), which earned her 2 ‘Critics' Choice Television Awards.’
In 2016, she portrayed ‘Marcia Clark’ in ‘The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story,’ the first season of the FX true crime anthology television series ‘American Crime Story.’ She earned critical acclaim for her performance in the series and went on to win the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.’ She next appeared in television series like ‘Feud: Bette and Joan’ (2017), ‘American Horror Story: Cult’ (2017), ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’ (2018), and ‘Family Guy’ (2019). In 2020, she joined the cast of the American psychological thriller streaming television series, ‘Ratched’ where she plays the role of ‘Nurse Mildred Ratched.’
In ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story,’ she portrayed ‘Linda Tripp.’ It was the third season of the FX true-crime anthology television series ‘American Crime Story.’