This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

List of Sarah Paulson Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
64
16
12 Years a Slave
R
64
16

The movie is adapted from the memoirs of Solomon Northup, an Afro-American violinist who lived freely in New York in 1841 when two conmen kidnapped and sold him into slavery. For twelve years, he is forced to work in plantations and bear the abusive behaviour of his masters. His hope for release comes when he meets Canadian abolitionist Bass.

Directed By:
Steve McQueen
2. Serenity (2005)
33
10
Serenity
PG-13
33
10

Over 500 years in the future, humanity has colonized a new solar system in which the alliance of inner planets is up against the independent outer planets. The crew of spaceship Serenity cross paths with a psychic passenger who reveals a dangerous secret to them.

Starring:
Directed By:
3. November Christmas (2010)
8
4
November Christmas
8
4
Role:
Beth Marks
Starring:
Sam Elliott, John Corbett, Karen Allen, Elizabeth McLaughlin
Directed By:
Robert Harmon
5. Mud (2012)
20
8
Mud
PG-13
20
8

Two teenagers Ellis and Neckbone discover fugitive Mud, wanted for murder ,living in a boat on a small island in the Mississippi River. They agree to help him reunite with his lover Juniper. But things take a violent turn when the family of the man he killed arrives to take revenge.  

Starring:
Directed By:
Jeff Nichols
7. The Post (2017)
19
7
The Post
PG-13
19
7

Focusing on the life of newspaper heiress and publisher Katharine Graham, this historical political thriller film highlights the challenges she has to face after the deaths of her husband and her father. The film was chosen by the National Board of Review as the best film of 2017. 

Directed By:
8. Carol (2015)
17
6
Carol
R
17
6

Aspiring photographer, Therese Belivet, runs into the glamorous Carol Aird while working at Frankenberg's department store in Manhattan. When the two women later develop a bond, it blossoms in love and relationship. But Carol’s bitter divorce proceedings threaten the relationship with heartbreak. 

Role:
Abby Gerhard
Starring:
Directed By:
Todd Haynes
9. Blue Jay (2016)
9
3
Blue Jay
9
3
Role:
Amanda
Starring:
Mark Duplass, Clu Gulager, James Andrews, Harris Benbury
Directed By:
Alex Lehmann
10. Bug (2002)
7
3
Bug
7
3
Starring:
Ed Begley Jr., John Carroll Lynch, Segun Ajaga, Megan Cavanagh, Grant Heslov
Directed By:
Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
11. Griffin & Phoenix (2006)
8
3
Griffin & Phoenix
PG-13
8
3

Griffin and Phoenix is a romantic drama comedy film which tells the story of Henry Griffin, who learns from his oncologist that his cancer is spreading and he has only 2-3 years at best, to survive. He soon begins to write a novel as well as attending psychology class, where he meets Sarah Phoenix. He asks her out on a date, and they eventually become good friends. However, Sarah doesn’t show much interest in having a relationship with him, as she is suffering from cancer as well.      

Role:
Peri
Starring:
Dermot Mulroney, Fred Armisen, Amanda Peet, Blair Brown, Alison Elliott
Directed By:
Ed Stone
12. Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
10
5
Martha Marcy May Marlene
R
10
5

After spending two years with a cult in the Catskills, Martha flees and goes to her older sister, Lucy, and her husband, Ted. She doesn’t reveal anything about her absence, but is haunted by memories, and feels increasingly paranoid that the cult is after her. Though her family wants to help her, for Martha, the demarcation between reality and delusion keeps diminishing. 

Starring:
Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet
Directed By:
Sean Durkin
13. Run (2020)
13
6
Run
PG-13
13
6

hloe is a teen girl dependent on a wheelchair, whose mother is quite overprotective. She is not allowed to check the mail, and she is kept isolated inside her house. Eventually, she begins to suspect that her mother might be hiding some terrible secrets from her, and decides to investigate the matter herself.

Role:
Diane Sherman
14. Bird Box (2018)
28
14
Bird Box
R
28
14

When people see a mysterious supernatural force, they turn mad and kill themselves. After five years of avoiding the force, Malorie, Tom and two children set out on a journey that will lead them to safety. However, with Tom dead, Malorie finds herself on the treacherous journey alone with the kids and has to ensure they complete it blindfolded.

Role:
Jessica
Starring:
Sandra Bullock, Rosa Salazar, John Malkovich, Jacki Weaver
Directed By:
Susanne Bier
15. Rebel in the Rye (2017)
8
3
Rebel in the Rye
PG-13
8
3
Role:
Dorothy Olding
Starring:
Nicholas Hoult, Victor Garber, Zoey Deutch, Kevin Spacey, Lucy Boynton
Directed By:
Danny Strong
16. The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)
8
4
The Notorious Bettie Page
R
8
4

Following a gang rape and a failed marriage, Bettie Page begins her career as a model in New York City. She dreams of becoming an actress but ends up gaining notoriety as a fetish model. After a series of missed opportunities and failed relationships, she also has to deal with an investigation on the kind of influence she will have on youth, thanks to her provocative photo shoot!

Role:
Bunny Yeager
Starring:
Jared Harris, Norman Reedus, Gretchen Mol, Chris Bauer, Cara Seymour
Directed By:
Mary Harron
17. What Women Want (2000)
18
10
What Women Want
PG-13
18
10

Playboy chauvinistic advertising executive Nick Marshall finds out, following an accident, that he can hear women's thoughts. Despite being irritated to learn how many people around him dislike him, he uses his newfound power to repair his relationships and advance his career at the expense of his boss, Darcy McGuire, until he falls in love with her.

Starring:
Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Judy Greer, Lauren Holly, Logan Lerman, Alan Alda
Directed By:
Nancy Meyers
18. The Other Sister (1999)
7
4
The Other Sister
PG-13
7
4

The Other Sister is a romantic comedy film which revolves around a young woman Carla, who has a mild psychological disability. She returns home to her overprotective mother, after completing her schooling, and shortly after, falls for a young man named Daniel, who has a similar condition.

Starring:
Giovanni Ribisi, Diane Keaton, Juliette Lewis, Tom Skerritt, Dina Merrill
Directed By:
19. Down with Love (2003)
9
5
Down with Love
PG-13
9
5

In 1962, an aspiring feminist author, writes a book on disadvantages of love, encouraging women to seek fulfillment in independence and achievement and also teaching them to enjoy free sex. As expected, most men are uncomfortable with her ideas, one among them being a playboy journalist, who decides to prove she is a fraud. 

Role:
Vikki Hiller
Starring:
Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Chris Parnell, Jeri Ryan, Renée Zellweger, David Hyde Pierce, Rachel Dratch
Directed By:
Peyton Reed
20. The Goldfinch (2019)
8
4
The Goldfinch
R
8
4

The Goldfinch is a drama film which tells the story of Theo Decker, a young boy in New York, who loses his mother to a terrorist bombing. He is soon taken in by a wealthy family. However, unable to get over the grief, Theo decides to steal ‘The Goldfinch’, a painting from the museum. However, this soon draws him to the world of crime.

Role:
Xandra
Starring:
Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Luke Wilson, Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Willa Fitzgerald, Jeffrey Wright
Directed By:
John Crowley
21. Diggers (2006)
7
3
Diggers
R
7
3
Starring:
Paul Rudd, Ken Marino, Ron Eldard, Josh Hamilton
Directed By:
Katherine Dieckmann
22. Lost Girls (2020)
6
4
Lost Girls
R
6
4
Starring:
Gabriel Byrne, Amy Ryan, Lola Kirke, Oona Laurence
Directed By:
Liz Garbus
23. New Year's Eve (2011)
10
7
New Year's Eve
PG-13
10
7

The film depicts several intertwined stories involving varied incidents and emotions experienced by different individuals on the night of the New Year’s Eve and highlights different human elements such as love, hope, and forgiveness, second chance and promise. Second of the three romantic comedy films directed by Garry Marshall, it was a huge box office success.

Starring:
Jon Bon Jovi, Zac Efron, Katherine Heigl, Halle Berry, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Duhamel, Jake T. Austin
Directed By:
24. Held Up (1999)
5
4
Held Up
PG-13
5
4
Starring:
Jamie Foxx, Nia Long, Barry Corbin, John Cullum, Jake Busey
Directed By:
Steve Rash
25. The Spirit (2008)
6
7
The Spirit
PG-13
6
7

Central City’s rookie cop Denny Colt, who is killed on duty by ruthless Octopus, returns as ‘The Spirit’ to hunt down his killer and to clear the crime from his city. Octopus is out to destroy the city to obtain the secret of immortality. During the pursuit of his nemesis, Spirit encounters a bevy of beauties, some of whom could prove treacherous. 

Starring:
Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Stana Katic, Scarlett Johansson, Paz Vega
Directed By:
Frank Miller
26. The Runner (2015)
3
4
The Runner
R
3
4
Role:
Kate Haber
Starring:
Nicolas Cage, Connie Nielsen, Peter Fonda, Wendell Pierce
Directed By:
Austin Stark
27. The Long Way Home (1998)
7
3
The Long Way Home
7
3
Role:
Leanne Bossert
Starring:
Jack Lemmon, Kristin Griffith, Garwin Sanford, Rosemary Dunsmore
Directed By:
Glenn Jordan
28. #twitterkills (2014)
7
3
#twitterkills
7
3
Role:
Sarah Pendersen
Starring:
Sunah Bilsted, Nathan Parsons, Seth Bailey, Darren Capozzi
Directed By:
Brett Sorem
29. Whose Dog Is It Anyway? (2009)
6
3
Whose Dog Is It Anyway?
6
3
Role:
Emma
Starring:
Christina Brucato, Maria Dizzia, Steven Rishard
Directed By:
Cindy Chupack
30. Pretty/Handsome (2008)
6
3
Pretty/Handsome
6
3
Starring:
Carrie-Anne Moss, Blythe Danner, Jessica Lowndes, Joseph Fiennes, Robert Wagner, Jonathan Groff
Directed By:
Ryan Murphy
31. Metropolis (2000)
6
3
Metropolis
6
3
Starring:
Jenni Baird, John Berczeller, Keith Carradine, Carolyn M. Doyle
Directed By:
Michael M. Robin
32. Swimmers (2005)
6
3
Swimmers
6
3
Starring:
Tara Devon Gallagher, Robert Knott, Cherry Jones, Shawn Hatosy
Directed By:
Doug Sadler
33. Friends at Last (1995)
5
3
Friends at Last
5
3
Role:
Diana - Age 21
Starring:
Kathleen Turner, Colm Feore, Julie Khaner, Megan Bouchard
Directed By:
John David Coles
34. Shaughnessy (1996)
4
3
Shaughnessy
4
3
Starring:
Michael Jai White, Matthew Settle, Linda Kozlowski, Tom Bower
Directed By:
Michael Ray Rhodes
35. After-School Special (2011)
4
3
After-School Special
4
3
Role:
Woman
Starring:
Wes Bentley, Sam Cohen, Moira O'Nan, Kaleigh Howland
Directed By:
Jacob Chase
36. Levitation (1997)
4
3
Levitation
4
3
Role:
Acey Rawlin
Starring:
Benjamin Heflin, Christopher Boyer, Cassandra Ray, Ernie Hudson
Directed By:
Scott D. Goldstein
37. The Time Being (2012)
4
4
The Time Being
4
4
Role:
Sarah
Starring:
Frank Langella, Corey Stoll, Jeremy Allen White, Wes Bentley
Directed By:
Nenad Cicin-Sain
38. A Christmas Wedding (2006)
4
4
A Christmas Wedding
TV-PG
4
4
Role:
Emily
Starring:
Dean Cain, Eric Mabius, Richard Blackburn, Reagan Pasternak
Directed By:
Michael Zinberg
39. Fairhaven (2012)
4
4
Fairhaven
4
4
Role:
Kate
Starring:
Chris Messina, Rich Sommer, Alexie Gilmore, Natalie Gold
Directed By:
Tom O'Brien

TV Shows

Deadwood
18
3
Deadwood
TV-MA
18
3
Starring:
Ian McShane, Kim Dickens, Paula Malcomson, Nick Offerman, Kristen Bell, Timothy Olyphant, Molly Parker
Directed By:
Ed Bianchi, Daniel Minahan, Davis Guggenheim, Gregg Fienberg, Mark Tinker
American Crime Story
18
3
American Crime Story
TV-MA
18
3
Role:
Marcia Clark
Starring:
Darren Criss, Courtney B. Vance, Annette Bening, John Travolta, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nathan Lane, Penelope Cruz
Directed By:
Ryan Murphy, Anthony Hemingway
Awards:
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
Feud
10
2
Feud
TV-MA
10
2
Starring:
Stanley Tucci, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Waters, Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Alfred Molina
Directed By:
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
11
2
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
11
2
Starring:
Timothy Busfield, John Goodman, Ed Asner, Lauren Graham, Martin Sheen, Matthew Perry, Eli Wallach
Directed By:
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
17
4
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
TV-14
17
4
Starring:
Natasha Lyonne, Andre Braugher, Hilary Duff, Sarah Wayne Callies, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jane Kaczmarek, Mary Steenburgen
Directed By:
American Gothic
9
2
American Gothic
9
2
Role:
Merlyn Temple
Starring:
Lucas Black, Bruce Campbell, Gary Cole, Veronica Cartwright, Evan Rachel Wood, Paige Turco, Brenda Bakke
Directed By:
Lou Antonio, Michael Nankin, Doug Lefler, Oz Scott, James Frawley
American Horror Story
34
8
American Horror Story
TV-MA
34
8
Role:
Lana Winters / ...
Starring:
Alexandra Daddario, Taissa Farmiga, Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer, Evan Peters, Connie Britton, Gabourey Sidibe
Directed By:
Puppy Love
8
2
Puppy Love
8
2
Starring:
Famke Janssen, Bruce Altman, J.T. Arbogast, Mikki Baloy, Heather Burns
Directed By:
Cindy Chupack, Patrice Dinhut, Amy Harris, Jason Reilly, Julie Rottenberg
Law & Order
10
3
Law & Order
TV-14
10
3
Starring:
Vera Farmiga, Daniella Alonso, Jennifer Garner, Lara Flynn Boyle, Andrew McCarthy, Idris Elba, William Gary Busey
Directed By:
Nip/Tuck
12
3
Nip/Tuck
TV-MA
12
3
Starring:
Marlee Matlin, Larry Hagman, Jacqueline Bisset, Ariel Winter, Linda Hunt, Bradley Cooper, Vanessa Redgrave
Directed By:
Blue
7
2
Blue
7
2
Starring:
Uriah Shelton, Julia Stiles, Eric Stoltz, David Harbour
Directed By:
Rodrigo García
Desperate Housewives
17
6
Desperate Housewives
TV-14
17
6
Starring:
Helena Mattsson, John Slattery, Ryan O'Neal, Joely Fisher, Page Kennedy, Eva Longoria, Doris Roberts
Directed By:
David Grossman, Larry Shaw, David Warren, Arlene Sanford, Bethany Rooney
Ratched
13
4
Ratched
TV-MA
13
4
Role:
Nurse Mildred Ratched
Starring:
Sharon Stone, Amanda Plummer, Cynthia Nixon, Corey Stoll
Jack & Jill
7
3
Jack & Jill
7
3
Role:
Elisa Cronkite
Starring:
Tom Bosley, Jaime Pressly, Amelia Heinle, Elizabeth Berkley, Ivan Sergei, Amanda Peet, Justin Kirk
Directed By:
David Petrarca, Mel Damski, Michael Pavone, Dennie Gordon, Michael Katleman
Cupid
7
3
Cupid
TV-PG
7
3
Role:
Claire McCrae
Starring:
Bobby Cannavale, Patrick J. Adams, Anna Chlumsky, Rick Gomez, Camille Guaty
Directed By:
Michael Grossman, John T. Kretchmer
The D.A.
6
3
The D.A.
6
3
Role:
Chief Dep. Dist. Atty. Lisa Patterson
Starring:
Bruno Campos, Peter Outerbridge, Cheryl White, Felicity Huffman
Directed By:
Michael M. Robin
Cracker
5
3
Cracker
5
3
Starring:
Mariska Hargitay, Josh Hartnett, R. Lee Ermey, Robert Pastorelli, Carolyn McCormick
Directed By:
Stephen Cragg, John D. Hancock, Ian Toynton, Perry Lang
Touched by an Angel
5
3
Touched by an Angel
TV-G
5
3
Starring:
Tara Strong, Diahann Carroll, Charles Durning, Carrie Snodgress, Gloria Stuart, Haley Joel Osment, Anthony Michael Hall
Directed By:
Peter H. Hunt, Timothy Van Patten, Victor Lobl, Bethany Rooney, Stuart Margolin
Leap of Faith
4
3
Leap of Faith
4
3
Role:
Faith Wardwell
Starring:
Jill Clayburgh, Lisa Edelstein, Regina King, Ken Marino
Directed By:
Michael Spiller, Adam Bernstein, Alex Graves, Nicole Holofcener, Joanna Kerns
Real Life
3
3
Real Life
3
3
Role:
Lucy
Starring:
Jeremy Sisto, Nia Peeples, Susan Floyd, Patrick Van Horn

Animation Movies

Abominable (2019)
11
5
Abominable
PG
11
5

Three friends discover an infant yeti, who has escaped from a research laboratory. They embark on a quest to reunite the young creature with its family in Mount Everest. However, they will need to keep their new friend safe from a wealthy man Burnish and Dr Zara, a zoologist, as they want the creature for their own selfish needs.

Role:
Dr. Zara (voice)
Starring:
Chloe Bennet, Eddie Izzard, Joseph Izzo , Albert Tsai
Directed By:
Jill Culton, Todd Wilderman

Sarah Paulson Awards

Golden Globe Awards
American Crime Story Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television 2017
Primetime Emmy Awards
American Crime Story Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie 2016