At the November 2 premiere of All’s Fair Season 2, Sarah Paulson celebrated Ryan Murphy’s commitment to “telling the stories of women over 40.” With Kim Kardashian beside her, she joked that they both belonged to that group.
In October 2018, Paulson had described a fear that persisted even as her career grew: Hollywood could decide, “You turned 45. Bye-bye.”
She’d already credited Murphy with helping her trust her abilities. In a 2017 joint interview, Paulson said his ongoing offers of work and challenging roles mattered because “he has made me find my confidence,” something she’d previously lacked.
Her praise also extended to his approach to appearance. In a 2016 interview, Paulson said she’d auditioned as a brunette for both romantic TV leads she’d been asked to play, only to be told to go blonde. One show also wanted “giant mermaid-like extensions,” changes she’d accepted out of desperation to work but said she’d refuse by then.
“I don’t want to further the idea that a specific image is connected to appeal,” she said. She described her experience with Murphy this way: “I’ve worked with Ryan Murphy, who is such a supporter of women and has never once asked me to do something that would make me more attractive. Not ever.”
Her experience on American Horror Story also changed what she expected from working with women. In a 2018 guest column, Paulson wrote that those collaborations challenged the competitive view of female relationships she’d absorbed. She described having room to ask questions and contribute ideas, with other women supporting her at work.