Paulson gained fame for her collaborations with showrunner Ryan Murphy notably starring in nine seasons of his anthology series American Horror Story from 2011 to 2021, earning five Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

She was Emmy-nominated for her roles as Nicolle Wallace in the HBO television film Game Change (2012), and Linda Tripp in the FX on Hulu miniseries Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021).

[18] Leonard Klady of Variety noted that Paulson and her co-stars are "not supported by the script", concluding: "Levitation is a grim, convoluted saga of identity and belonging.

[23] She portrayed Luci Baines Johnson in the HBO film Path to War (2002) starring Michael Gambon, Donald Sutherland and Alec Baldwin.

[28] In the spring of 2005, Paulson starred in a Broadway revival of the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie opposite co-star Jessica Lange.

"[29] Later that year, Paulson appeared Off-Broadway in a production of Colder Than Here, opposite Lily Rabe (also her future co-star on American Horror Story).

[30] The production received an unfavorable review from Variety, with critic Dave Rooney writing: "Rabe speaks in an affected monotone while Sarah Paulson has the measured, upward-inflected delivery of a children's TV presenter ... this mannered, melancholy play elicits a mainly impassive response, which is no small obstruction in a work dealing with loss.

[31] In the 2006–07 television season, Paulson co-starred in the Aaron Sorkin created NBC comedy-drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, playing Harriet Hayes, one of the stars of the show-within-a-show.

In December 2008, Paulson appeared in the screen adaptation of Will Eisner's comic book The Spirit, playing an updated version of the character Ellen Dolan.

In the spring of 2010, she starred in the Donald Margulies play Collected Stories alongside Linda Lavin at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway.

[37] The same year, Paulson filmed the independent drama Martha Marcy May Marlene, in which she starred opposite Elizabeth Olsen and Hugh Dancy, portraying the wealthy sister of a woman who has escaped a cult.

[38] Simultaneously, Paulson guest-starred in three episodes of the FX anthology series American Horror Story, playing medium Billie Dean Howard.

[41] During this time, she also played the supporting role of Mary Lee in the acclaimed Jeff Nichols drama film Mud (2012), starring Matthew McConaughey.

[42] Paulson returned to theater in March 2013, appearing in an Off-Broadway production of the Lanford Wilson play Talley's Folly opposite Danny Burstein.

[49] For her roles in Freak Show and Hotel she received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in 2014 and 2016.

[53] Maureen Ryan of Variety wrote, "Marcia Clark's summation was clipped, precise and underlined by the simmering, quietly controlled anger that Sarah Paulson brought to the role.

[55][56][57][58] That same year she starred opposite Mark Duplass in Netflix romantic drama Blue Jay (2016) which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

[59] Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter wrote of her performance, "If the film proves more stirring than you expect, it’s thanks to Paulson, who, with her crisp delivery and teasing eyes welling up with confusion and heartache, gives Amanda an inner life far beyond what's written for her.

She also starred as Geraldine Page in one episode of the first season of drama anthology series Feud (2017), which chronicles the turbulent working relationship between actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

[65][66] Paulson was then cast in the heist film Ocean's 8 (2018), co-starring with Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, and Rihanna.

In Apocalypse, Paulson reprised both the Murder House and Coven roles of Billie Dean Howard and Cordelia Foxx, respectively, and also starred as the villainous Miss Wilhemina Venable.

[70] She played Sandra Bullock's character's sister, Jessica, in the drama horror film Bird Box (2018), which was released on Netflix in December.

Paulson then starred as Alice Macray in the FX limited drama series Mrs. America (2020) about the unsuccessful political movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.

Paulson acted opposite Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Melanie Lynskey and Margo Martindale.

[82] Paulson returned to Broadway in 2023 to star in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's play Appropriate acting alongside Corey Stoll, Natalie Gold, Elle Fanning, and Michael Esper.

[85] In 2016, French hidden object game Criminal Case modeled character Mary Patrick in its fourth season, Mysteries of the Past, after Paulson.