Oct
Sarah Paulson, Ryan Murphy’s Horror Muse, Longs for a Comedy Role
After over a decade of collaborating with Ryan Murphy in horror, Sarah Paulson is ready for a change, expressing her desire to take on a comedic role.
Paulson feels that audiences only expect her to “scream and run from a clown.” In a recent interview with BuzzFeed, she lamented, “You don’t realize that I’m a gentle, kind, charming, funny person. I want someone to put me in a f—ing comedy; nobody puts me in a comedy.”
Indeed, Paulson has had her fair share of terrifying moments, particularly in American Horror Story: Cult, where a clown stalks her through a supermarket. In a 2017 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she admitted, “I don’t like clowns,” and revealed that her character’s fear of clowns was inspired by her real-life phobia, as producer Ryan Murphy incorporated this fear into the storyline. She was even startled by a clown that unexpectedly emerged from DeGeneres’ side table during the show.
However, Paulson’s main point is that after nine seasons of American Horror Story and roles in horror films like Run and Bird Box, she feels typecast as a scream queen and is eager for a different kind of role.
“I’d love to do a buddy comedy with Cate Blanchett,” she said, referring to their past collaborations in Carol, Mrs. America, and Ocean’s 8. “No one asks either of us to do comedy, and she’s really funny. I think it would be great to explore that.”
While her horror, thriller, and drama roles outnumber her comedic ones, Paulson has delivered notable performances in romantic comedies such as Down With Love and Griffin and Phoenix. Recently, she received an Emmy nomination for her darkly comedic guest role in the Mr. and Mrs. Smith episode “Couples Therapy (Naked & Afraid).”
Despite her desire for comedic roles, Paulson still cherishes her horror roots. “What I love about the horror genre is the opportunity to explore extremes,” she explained. “Everything is at a high stakes level, and I’ve always been a bit dramatic. My mother used to call me ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ when I was a kid because I tend to have big reactions to small situations. It fits well with the genre.”
Sarah Paulson – Ryan Murphy’s Horror Muse – Longs for a Comedy Role
Paulson last appeared in American Horror Story in 2021, playing both Mamie Eisenhower and Tuberculosis Karen in the special season American Horror Story: Double Feature. Since debuting in the original season, Murder House, in 2011, she hasn’t gone more than three years without participating in the series, hinting that she might not be able to stay away much longer.
Earlier this month, Paulson admitted there’s a “big chance that I will return to American Horror Story… I really hope to. It’s my home. It’s where I began.”
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