Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor‘s relationship is one of the sweetest full-circle moments in Hollywood. They first crossed paths at a dinner party in 2005, but were both in committed relationships at the time. One decade later, though, they would meet again — and fall deeply for each other. Sarah also recently opened up about their relationship in a new Vogue profile, published on November 21, 2023.
“It’s the most wonderful, extraordinary thing that could have ever possibly happened in my life,” the Two and a Half Men actress, 80, told WNYC’s Death, Sex and Money podcast in 2015 about falling for Sarah, 48, per Mirror. Since confirming their relationship in 2015, the American Horror Story actress and Holland have been shameless about their love even when society has pushed back against their relationship.
Find out everything you need to know about their heartwarming love story here!
What Was Sarah And Holland’s First Interaction Like?
As noted above, the successful actresses met in 2005, and they have both recalled the situation quite differently. “I already knew a lot about her because I’d seen her in a bunch of things. She was one of those up-and-coming stars who was a real head-turner. Her talent was just very striking, and she was so fabulous-looking. Then I was seated next to her’,” Holland told People in Aug. 2020 (via Daily Mail). “I remember thinking, ‘Here is this irritating girl, this irritating cooly-cool girl. A young star who’s such a big deal, who’s just going to start spouting off everything she knows about everything, like all young people do,'” she bluntly stated. She then admitted she thought they’d have nothing in common or anything to say to each other due to their age difference. Ten years later, she would be proven wrong.
Meanwhile, Sarah remembers their first time meeting with less sourness. “She was probably the most exquisitely beautiful woman I had ever seen,” Sarah recalled to The New York Times in 2016.
Sarah and Holland Reconnect
Two major developments happened between the time Sarah and Holland met in 2005 and when they spoke again in 2015: They both became single and social media was born. It turns out that Sarah and Holland were at Martha Plimpton’s house together to film a PSA and “sort of breezed by one another,” per Sarah’s 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live! They both started following each other on social media and the Legally Blonde actress direct messaged Sarah on Twitter. The sparks flew instantly.
Sarah and Holland Make it Official
Rumors that the two stars were dating began in Nov. 2015 after the Wedding Date actress shared the below snapshot of Sarah on Twitter. “When captions fail…” she captioned the gorgeous photo of Sarah standing with her back turned to the camera in a sparkling gold dress that featured a colorful design. Holland first spoke of their relationship on the Death, Sex and Money podcast that same month. She did not reveal who held the key to her heart, but confirmed they had a large age gap. “There’s a very big age difference between us which I’m sure shocks a lot of people, and it startles me. But as they say, ‘If she dies, she dies,’ ” she said with a laugh.
When captions fail… pic.twitter.com/b6ECRSA6D3
— Holland Taylor (@HollandTaylor) November 17, 2015
The interview also marked one of the very few times Sarah has addressed her sexuality head-on, as she never formally came out as identifying with a certain sexuality. “I haven’t ‘come out’ because I am out,” she reasoned. “I live out.”
On Dec. 1, People claimed their sources revealed Holland and Sarah were an item, although they had not yet confirmed the news themselves. Five days later, Sarah took to Twitter to root her girlfriend on, who was starring in the off-Broadway comedy Ripcord. The photo she posted showed a picture of her ticket over the show’s playbill. “Last one… @HollandTaylor You sure are a genius. #favoriteactress,” the Bird Box actress gushed.
Last one… @HollandTaylor You sure are a genius.#favoriteactress pic.twitter.com/Rj5W3RvoDC
— Sarah Paulson (@MsSarahPaulson) December 6, 2015
The next night, the pair made their first official appearance as a couple at the opening night of School of Rock on Broadway in New York City. They walked the red carpet hand-in-hand and let their PDA do all of the talking.
Sarah Verbally Confirms Her Relationship
Sarah and Holland made another red carpet appearance at the 2016 Critic’s Choice Awards in January, but still had not confirmed their relationship. Sarah also wished Holland a happy birthday that month via Twitter.
Happiest Birthday to @HollandTaylor my most favorite human… No one is more deeply grateful that you were born than I
— Sarah Paulson (@MsSarahPaulson) January 14, 2016
Finally, in March of that year, Sarah not only confirmed their romance but gushed over the Mr. Mercedes actress. “I can say absolutely that I am in love, and that person happens to be Holland Taylor,” she told The New York Times.
She also reasoned why she refuses to label her sexuality. “If my life choices had to be predicated based on what was expected of me from a community on either side, that’s going to make me feel really straitjacketed, and I don’t want to feel that,” she said. Addressing her and Holland’s 32-year age gap, she added, “I think there’s a greater appreciation of time and what you have together and what’s important, and it can make the little things seem very small. It puts a kind of sharp light mixed with a sort of diffused light on something.”
Sarah and Holland Support Each Other From Opposite Coasts
Sarah and Holland were unable to attend the 2016 Emmys together, as Holland was in New York City rehearsing for Broadway’s revival of The Front Page. However, they showed as much PDA to one another over Twitter as one might see a couple give on the Emmy Awards’ red carpet. For instance, Holland spoke about her enthusiasm over what Sarah would wear to the carpet in a sweet tweet. “Way over in Manhattan, eagerly awaiting the Emmy red carpet, can’t wait for @MsSarahPaulson under ANY circumstances, but, my GOD, HER DRESS!” she exclaimed, with Sarah replying, “DARLING ANGEL”. Holland also posted a picture of her girlfriend prepping her skin for the big event with a face mask and wrote, “Where pure beauty resides, some efforts are completely superfluous.” Holland sent out several more tweets about the Blue Jay actress throughout the night, including one in which she claimed she was having a “heart attack” after catching a glimpse of her posing on the carpet.
Where pure beauty resides, some efforts are completely superfluous. @MsSarahPaulson pic.twitter.com/ILtgJH5np6
— Holland Taylor (@HollandTaylor) September 18, 2016
Sarah showed her love for Holland as well. At the end of her acceptance speech for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie for her work in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, she gave a loving shout-out to Holland, who was simultaneously tweeting about how proud she was. “Hi Holland — Holland Taylor, if you’re watching, I love you,” she noted at the end of her speech, per Page Six.
In fact, Sarah has been open about how she and Holland live apart. In the above-mentioned Vogue interview, the writer noted that she “partly credits” their successful relationship with the fact that they don’t live together, despite eight years of dating.
Holland Calls Herself The ‘Luckiest Person’
Holland continued showing support for Sarah’s Hollywood career in a Jan. 2017 interview. “[Sarah] is having a wonderful burst in her career,” she expressed on Sandra Bernhard’s Sandyland radio show, per Page Six. She then gushed about her ‘wonderful’ romance with Sarah. “I must say it has to be part of what has to be the most wonderful thing in my life, is the whole embrace of this wonderful relationship which makes everything else makes sense. I’m the luckiest person in the world. I can’t talk about my life today and not mention this wonderful love,” she enthusiastically stated.
(Not) a Couple’s Costume
Switching up their usual mean of PDA, Sarah posted a selfie alongside Holland on Instagram on Halloween in 2017 to show off the costumes they wore to M. Night Shyamalan’s charity ball in Philadelphia. Sarah donned an adorable panda onesie while Holland dressed as a joker.
Sarah Discusses Her ‘Unconventional’ Life Choices
“I do not want to be defined by who I share my bed, my home, my soul with,” the American Crime Story actress told Town & Country in Jan. 2018. “My choices in life have been unconventional, and that’s my business. But I do want to live responsibly and truthfully without hiding. It’s complicated, because there is a lot of hate in this world, and a lot of good can come from quote-unquote normalizing something for people who don’t see it as normal.” She added that her relationship with Holland “represents a certain amount of hope and risk.” She continued, “Maybe there’s something brave in it. Maybe it encourages others to make brave choices. What else can I say? We love each other.”
Later that year, she shared a similar sentiment in an interview with Elle. “I didn’t choose to fall in love with the person I fell in love with. But I think why it’s interesting to people is that on paper, it’s unconventional. For a person who might find themselves in a situation that they fear will be misperceived or judged, maybe they could see me living my life in a way that is authentic to me — just trying to be as real as possible,” she explained. “If that inspires anybody else, that can’t be a bad thing.”
Sarah Calls Holland the ‘Only One’
Sarah and Holland rang in the New Year together in 2019 with another adorable selfie. Sarah posted the previous snapshot on Jan. 1, 2019, in which they both wore festive hats, and captioned it, “The Only One. #happynewyear,” with several heart emojis.
Sarah Supports Holland’s Emmy Nod
Just as Holland was over the moon about Sarah’s Emmy nomination in 2016, Sarah was ecstatic after Holland’s nomination was announced in 2020. Shortly after it was confirmed that Holland was nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie category for her role of Miss Kincaid in Netflix’s limited series, Hollywood, Sarah took to Instagram to express her excitement over the big news. “This makes me happier than it should- because I know where all this awards business should live,” she began her caption. “Inside every performer/creative person, the pursuit of truth in their work is all that truly matters- that and the glorious time spent with your crew, your merry band of brothers and sisters dedicated to bringing a story to life- that, THAT IS THE REWARD. But sometimes… SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS IN CELEBRATION… sometimes you just can’t contain your joy, and I’m not gonna.” She concluded, “@hollandvtaylor you are the best of the best, in every and all ways. I am over the moon for you. Congratulations my love.”
The Pandemic Brings The Lovebirds Closer
The coronavirus pandemic and the inevitable quarantine it thrust upon billions across the world put many relationships to the test. For Sarah and Holland, it brought them closer, if anything. “Both of us normally have to travel for work, have constantly been filming, always leaving a bag halfway packed in the foyer at our house,” Holland told People in Aug. 2020. “Of course, Sarah and I didn’t need to be brought closer together. We have a very tight, close relationship within each other’s thoughts. We share everything that’s going on.”
The Dynamic Duo Wishes Each Other a Happy Birthday
Holland rang in her girlfriend’s 46th birthday in Dec. 2020 by sharing a photo of her alongside a loving caption. “Yes, but listen— y’all have no idea,” she gushed with the photo of Sarah, who was posing with her chin resting in her left hand while sitting in a dining booth. “Happy Birthday to my one and only. I’m grateful you were born, @mssarahcatharinepaulson.”
Just a month later in Jan. 2021, Sarah did the same for her lover’s 78th birthday. “All roads lead me to this face, those eyes, that soul. You are, quite simply- everything to me,” she began alongside a black and white photo of the Pennsylvania native. “Here’s looking at you, kid. Today. Tomorrow. Always. (If you don’t like this picture, you are an idiot, so don’t get mad when you see it. I even made it black and white since you prefer it. So shhhhhh. It’s a perfect picture of a perfect person) HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING”
The following year, in Jan. 2022, Sarah took to the ‘gram once more to remind her fans that her heart belongs to the birthday girl. “Love of my life. The one. The only one. January 14th is my favorite day of the year- a day to unabashedly celebrate you @hollandvtaylor,” she wrote in the heartfelt caption. “I am the luckiest of the lucky. I love you only. Happy Birthday magical poet darling.”
Sarah Supports Holland in the Theater, Again
Sarah celebrated the closing night of Broadway’s Ann, a production in which Holland starred. “The love of my life @hollandvtaylor is closing her show tonight,” she wrote with a snapshot of Holland on stage. “I have loved her for 7 years and counting… and tonight, as she brings this production in for its landing, I have never loved her more. She is an artist to the marrow… I happen to love a genius. That’s really the truth. The creative achievement of her life thus far was about a woman in pursuit of simple fairness… fundamental goodness, with grit for days. To be inspired by the artistry of the person you share your life with, is the most glorious thing in this world. I love you, I admire you, I worship you.” How precious!
The Couple Go Back and Forth While Sarah’s on Broadway
In 2023, Sarah returned to Broadway for her first play in 10 years. She’s starring in a production of Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate. In the above-mentioned Vogue profile, it was noted that Sarah and Holland would travel back and forth between New York and Los Angeles, while she’s in the play.