All of Sarah Paulson’s ‘American Horror Story’ Characters, Ranked

Across multiple seasons of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s horror anthology series ‘American Horror Story‘, Sarah Paulson has embodied a vast spectrum of complex personas. From sinister administrators and historical figures to determined journalists and powerful witches, the Emmy-winning performer has anchored the franchise since its debut installment.

Her versatility allows her to carry diverse storylines, shifting between grounded psychological terror and heightened camp across varying time periods and realities. Evaluating these roles reveals the extraordinary breadth of her contributions to the horror genre and television history.

Susan Atkins

In the seventh season, ‘American Horror Story: Cult’, Sarah Paulson portrays real-life Manson Family member Susan Atkins in a dramatic historical recreation. The sequence depicts the 1969 Tate murders during the episode titled “Charles (Manson) in Charge,” serving as a thematic parallel to Kai Anderson’s growing political faction. Atkins, also known by the alias Sadie Mae Glutz, carries out the violent directives of Charles Manson alongside fellow followers Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel. Paulson captures the fanaticism of the historical figure through intense dialogue and erratic physical mannerisms during the home invasion. This guest appearance represents the first time the actress portrayed a non-fictional historical criminal within the anthology series.

Mamie Eisenhower

Paulson appears as former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower in ‘Death Valley’, the second half of ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’. The narrative follows Mamie as she becomes entangled in clandestine government treaties with extraterrestrial beings during the Cold War. Driven by a profound desire for self-preservation, she negotiates with alien visitor Valiant Thor to secure immortality in exchange for sacrificing thousands of American citizens. Her ruthless ambition culminates in an alliance with the extraterrestrials at Area 51, where she oversees the creation of a human-alien hybrid species. This mid-century role showcased Paulson delivering a stylized interpretation of a twentieth-century political figure within the franchise.

Shelby Miller

In the sixth season, ‘American Horror Story: Roanoke’, Paulson portrays the dramatic reenactment version of yoga instructor Shelby Miller. Featured within the show-within-a-show documentary ‘My Roanoke Nightmare’, Shelby recounts surviving terrifying paranormal disturbances alongside her husband in rural North Carolina. The performance mirrors the accounts of the real Shelby, enduring blood-soaked sieges by the Lost Colony and horrific rituals led by the Butcher. Paulson conveys continuous terror and emotional vulnerability as the character attempts to maintain her sanity against supernatural onslaughts. This meta-fictional layer set the foundation for the season’s mid-point narrative shift when the documentary concluded.

Audrey Tindall

Paulson also stars as British actress Audrey Tindall in the found-footage second half of ‘American Horror Story: Roanoke’. After gaining fame for portraying Shelby Miller in the television documentary, Audrey returns to the haunted homestead to film the follow-up production ‘Return to Roanoke: Three Days in Hell’. Audrey maintains an exaggerated theatrical demeanor, marrying her younger co-star Rory Monahan and dismissing the genuine supernatural danger surrounding the cast. When real ghosts and the hostile Polk clan attack, her self-absorbed persona deteriorates into frantic panic as she fights for survival. Despite enduring severe trauma and eliminating the Polk matriarch, Audrey meets a tragic fate when responding police officers misinterpret her intentions outside the house.

Wilhemina Venable

In the eighth season, ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’, Paulson takes on the role of Wilhemina Venable, the stern administrator of Outpost 3. Venable presides over the subterranean bunker following nuclear devastation, enforcing strict color-coded class divisions and draconian behavioral rules upon the survivors. Driven by personal grievances and physical insecurity stemming from severe scoliosis, she fabricates protocols to terrorize and control the residents. Her quest for complete dominion leads her to conspire with the android Miriam Mead to execute the outpost inhabitants using poisoned apples. The character’s calculated cruelty creates an oppressive atmosphere during the initial chapters of the post-apocalyptic narrative.

Billie Dean Howard

Billie Dean Howard represents Paulson’s debut role in the franchise, introduced during the first season, ‘American Horror Story: Murder House’. As a glamorous medium recruited by Constance Langdon, Billie Dean serves as an intermediary between the living and the spirits trapped within the residence. The character introduces the ancient folklore of Roanoke and warns of the apocalyptic consequences surrounding the birth of an unholy child. Her eccentric expertise and media ambition lead to subsequent appearances in ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ and ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’. This recurring psychic anchored crucial exposition that helped establish the interconnected mythology across multiple installments of the franchise.

TB Karen

In ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’, Paulson transforms into Tuberculosis Karen for the coastal storyline ‘Red Tide’. Living on the margins of Provincetown, Massachusetts, Karen is an unhoused painter afflicted with disease and substance dependency who recognizes the corrupting darkness of the black pills. Despite enduring intimidation and forced errands for local vampire-like elites, she vehemently refuses to sacrifice innocent human lives for artistic acclaim. Her poignant friendship with fellow artist Mickey provides an emotional anchor amidst the grim creative exploitation devouring the community. Karen ultimately chooses to end her life on the seashore after taking the pill, ensuring she never harms another human being.

Sally McKenna

Paulson portrays the tragic ghost Sally McKenna, commonly known as Hypodermic Sally, in ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’. Confined to the halls of the Hotel Cortez following her fatal fall in 1994, Sally spends decades seeking emotional connections to alleviate her eternal loneliness. She forms a turbulent, codependent bond with detective John Lowe, assisting him while simultaneously feeding his descent into moral decay. Paulson depicts the character’s erratic lifestyle with grunge aesthetics, visceral emotion, and musical flourishes alongside the Addiction Demon. Sally eventually finds modern validation and a captive audience when technology allows her to become an internet celebrity through social media.

Ally Mayfair-Richards

In ‘American Horror Story: Cult’, Paulson leads the ensemble as Michigan restaurateur Ally Mayfair-Richards. The narrative follows Ally as severe phobias, including coulrophobia and trypophobia, resurface following the 2016 presidential election. Her psychological stability is manipulated by a sinister clown cult orchestrated by Kai Anderson and enabled by her own spouse. Overcoming institutionalization and widespread betrayal, Ally transforms into a calculated strategist who methodically dismantles the extremist movement. Her evolution from a terrified victim into an empowered political candidate underscores the psychological depth of the season.

Bette and Dot Tattler

Paulson achieved a major technical and acting feat in ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ by portraying conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. Despite sharing a single body, the sisters possess diametrically opposed personalities, with Bette harboring romantic dreams of stardom while Dot remains cynical and defensive. After being recruited from isolation by Elsa Mars, the twins navigate romantic deception, exploitation by Dandy Mott, and internal conflicts regarding possible surgical separation. Paulson utilized nuanced facial expressions, altered vocal pitch, and split-screen technology to differentiate both sisters during shared conversations. The twins ultimately survive the mass carnage at the carnival and build a peaceful domestic life alongside Jimmy Darling.

Cordelia Goode

Initially introduced in ‘American Horror Story: Coven’, Cordelia Goode begins as the reserved headmistress of Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies. Operating under the shadow of her domineering mother Fiona, Cordelia endures a blinding acid attack that awakens her psychic gift of the Second Sight. Through resilience and selfless devotion to her students, she completes the Seven Wonders and ascends as the reigning Supreme witch of the Salem descendants. Cordelia leads the coven again in ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’, orchestrating the time-travel gambit that stops the Antichrist. Her journey from an insecure daughter to a benevolent, self-sacrificing matriarch establishes her as one of the most heroic figures in the series.

Lana Winters

Introduced in ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’, investigative reporter Lana Winters enters Briarcliff Manor to expose institutional abuse and the serial killer known as Bloody Face. Wrongfully committed due to prejudice against her sexuality, Lana endures relentless electroshock therapy, solitary confinement, and severe psychological torture. She survives captivity under Oliver Thredson and orchestrates a daring escape that allows her to expose the horrors of Briarcliff to the world. The character demonstrates fierce resilience across decades, transforming into a celebrated author and television icon who eventually confronts her past. Paulson also reprised this career-defining role for a pivotal guest interview in the finale of ‘American Horror Story: Roanoke’.

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