“If you find yourself in New York’s Belasco Theatre in the upcoming weeks, you might feel a sense of déjà vu: a familial gathering, with emotions running high. The production is Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Tony-nominated play ‘Appropriate,’ and the dynamic force on stage is Sarah Paulson.
The narrative revolves around siblings reuniting following their father’s passing: secrets emerge, emotions run raw, and few stones are left unturned. Portraying the role of the elder sister, Toni, Paulson thrives, embodying a character who exudes strength yet remains vulnerable (albeit somewhat unlikable).”
SUNDAY MORNING
Tony-nominee Sarah Paulson: “If this is a dream, I don’t wanna wake up”
sunday-morning
By Tracy Smith
May 12, 2024 / 9:38 AM EDT / CBS News
If you find yourself in New York’s Belasco Theatre in the upcoming weeks, you might feel a sense of déjà vu: a familial gathering, with emotions running high. The production is Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Tony-nominated play ‘Appropriate,’ and the dynamic force on stage is Sarah Paulson.
The narrative revolves around siblings reuniting following their father’s passing: secrets emerge, emotions run raw, and few stones are left unturned. Portraying the role of the elder sister, Toni, Paulson thrives, embodying a character who exudes strength yet remains vulnerable (albeit somewhat unlikable).
appropriate-cast.jpg
Sarah Paulson (with Michael Esper and Corey Stoll) in “Appropriate.”
JOAN MARCUS/”APPROPRIATE”
When asked if she feels a need to be liked, Paulson replied, “As a person, I’m like, Please like me. Please! I’m begging you! I’m like a puppy dog that way. I mean, of course I want to be liked. But as an actor, I feel like I don’t think about it at all.”
She still can’t believe her name is above the title on the marquee. Seeing it for the first time was a shock: “I did cry. Because I thought, This is something I never could’ve imagined. I mean, my mother spent a lot of time taking me to the theater when I was younger, because she was a good mom, who knew that it was really a passion of mine.” Sarah Paulson
Her mom, Catharine Gordon, understood it all. She wanted to write, and when she and Sarah’s dad divorced, she moved her two daughters from Florida to New York City in search of a dream. And in what turned out to be the omen of a lifetime, she found work as a waitress at the legendary Sardi’s Restaurant on 44th Street, the very epicenter of Broadway.
Sarah wound up at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, where she did her best to stand out. “We had kids whose names were, like, Linnea and Romi and Suna and Soren. And I was like, ‘My name is Sarah.'” What to do? “I had everyone call me Saarah.”
And after graduating in 1994, she was determined to find work. She opted out of college and headed straight to Broadway. Before long, she transitioned from the stage to the screen, taking on diverse roles ranging from a sketch comic opposite Matthew Perry in “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” to an especially cruel slave owner in “12 Years a Slave.”
Her career then kicked into high gear. In the series “American Crime Story,” she left a lasting impression as prosecutor Marcia Clark in “The People vs. O.J. Simpson.” This role propelled her to new heights, but surprisingly, she has yet to watch it or any of her subsequent work. “I’ve never watched ‘The People vs. O.J.,'” she admitted. “Sterling K. Brown is always like, ‘Mama, you might wanna check it out.’ I’m like, ‘Maybe I do.’ He’s like, ‘It’s pretty good!’ And I just know I will pick it apart.” Sarah Paulson
Paulson is equally candid about her personal life. She has been in a relationship with actor Holland Taylor, who is three decades her senior, since 2015. However, at the moment, they are working on opposite sides of the country.
“Holland and I live separately,” Paulson explained. “I don’t know if you know this, but Holland is a good bit older than I am. And she lived a lot of her life on her own. And I lived a lot of my life on my own. And I think we both sort of arrived at this relationship recognizing that we both wanted to maintain some of that independence. And we were both mature enough, I think, to say, ‘I don’t wanna give this up, and I don’t wanna give this up, so let’s be together but let’s also be separate.’ Which is lovely, I have to say.” Sarah Paulson
“Do you miss her?” “Oh God, yes,” replied Paulson, adding, “We get along great on Facetime.”
However, some experiences are unique to New York, like the recent event where Paulson had her portrait added to the iconic caricatures that have adorned the walls of Sardi’s for generations – the very place where her mother once worked.
During the unveiling, Paulson remarked, “You’re also honoring my mother, who was brave enough to move to Manhattan to follow her dream and thereby give me a giant springboard towards my own.”
It’s challenging to capture the atmosphere in the room, but you can see it all in the face of a former Sardi’s employee. How proud is she of her daughter? “Oh, I’ve been proud of Sarah since the day she was born,” said Catharine Gordon. “It feels happy. And it’s gonna make me cry, so let’s not go any further with that one.” Sarah Paulson
Not only has Sarah Paulson achieved recognition as a Sardi’s laureate, but she has also earned a Tony nomination for her role in “Appropriate.”
Gordon enthusiastically remarked, “Sarah’s a fabulous actress, and I know that. And I think she’s gonna win!”
“Mom!!” Paulson laughed.
All those seeds that were planted during her early days in New York are now flourishing.
“Pinch me, is what I feel,” expressed Paulson. “Pinch me. And if this is a dream, I don’t wanna wake up. We all have dreams as children, right? And some of us get to experience them. And I feel like I’m getting to experience it, and it’s really special.” Sarah Paulson
