Sarah Paulson was an actor in the 2000's.
Sarah Paulson . After beginning her acting career on stage , she starred in the 1990s television series American Gothic ( 1995 -- 96 ) and Jack & Jill ( 1999 -- 2001 ) . Paulson later appeared in comedy films such as What Women Want ( 2000 ) and Down with Love ( 2003 ) , and had dramatic roles in films such as Path to War ( 2002 ) and The Notorious Bettie Page ( 2005 ) . In 2008 , she starred as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit . Paulson starred as Mary Epps in the 2013 historical drama film 12 Years a Slave and as Abby Gerhard in the 2015 drama film Carol .