Sarah Paulson

Anne Gillette
Aired: 1/13/10 Episode 11011 "Shadow"

Sarah Paulson, originally born in Tampa, Florida, spent most of her time in New York and Maine before settling in Manhattan to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the High School for Performing Arts. She made her Broadway debut in "The Sisters Rosensweig" and performed in the off-Broadway show "Talking Pictures." She debuted on the small screen in an episode of "Law & Order" in 1994 and then in the following spring she landed her first TV-movie role on CBS' "Friends at Last."

She is best known for her amazing performance in CBS' supernatural drama "American Gothic" as the spiritual guide to her young brother, and she was also a regular on the WB series "Jack and Jill." Other television performances were in shows such as "Leap of Faith," "Metropolis," "Shaughnessy," "The Long Way Home," "Path to War," "Touched by an Angel," and "Cracker."

Sarah was nominated twice for her role as Harriet Hayes in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," once in 2006 for a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and again in 2007 for a Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, mini-series, or made for television.

Sarah has now played in movies with stars such as Mel Gibson in "What Women Want" and with Diane Keaton in "The Other Sister." She has also been seen in the films "Held Up," "Down with Love," "The Spirit," "Levitation," and "Serenity."