Sarah Paulson admits that she was 'so underwhelmed' filming American Horror Story: Roanoke

She has been one of the primary muses of TV mastermind Ryan Murphy for about ten years. 

And in spite of her repeated appearances throughout most of the run of American Horror Story, Sarah Paulson is opening up about the season of the scary anthology series she was not enthused about.

The actress, 46, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast on Monday, on which she shared that AHS: Roanoke was a season she was ‘so underwhelmed’ about filming.

In spite of her repeated appearances throughout most of the run of American Horror Story: Sarah Paulson is opening up about the season of the scary series she was not enthused about

Speaking of the 2016 installment of the show, Sarah said, ‘I just don’t care about this season at all… It was the first time I felt like I wish I could have gone to Ryan and said “please let me sit this one out.”‘

‘I know people will get mad at me for saying it,’ Paulson also shared, ‘but for me, this was post having played Marcia [Clark in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson] and it was what I went to do right after finishing Marcia.’

American Crime Story, also from Murphy, landed Sarah her first Emmy Award for playing the famed attorney, and it made the experience on AHS that followed pale in comparison.

The actress spoke to The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast on Monday, on which she shared that AHS: Roanoke was a season she was ‘so underwhelmed’ about filming; seen here on Bravo’s WWHL

‘I was so underwhelmed by the whole experience because I felt like I had entered into a new place inside of myself in terms of what I thought possible, in terms of what I might be willing to see if I can do,’ Sarah continued. 

‘I felt really kind of trapped by my responsibility and my contractual obligation to do American Horror Story. As much as it’s my home and I’ve loved it always, it was the first time I felt like I wish I could have gone to Ryan and said please let me sit this one out. You know, let me out.’

And even though she wasn’t contractually obligated to star in the following AHS season, Cult, the following year, she wanted to do it because of current events in the country.

Speaking of the 2016 installment of the show, Sarah said: ‘I just don’t care about this season at all… It was the first time I felt like I wish I could have gone to Ryan and said “please let me sit this one out”‘

‘I was happy to be back for Cult, but Roanoke, I kinda went kicking and screaming,’ the Ratched star recollected. ‘I’m gonna get a call from Ryan like “why are you saying that?”‘ she added jokingly.

And two seasons after Cult, for season 9 titled 1984, Sarah was allowed out of her obligation to appear by Murphy himself, so that she could do Hulu series Mrs. America instead.

‘Ryan has done [me a solid] more times than I can count,’ Sarah observed. ‘He’s very, very generous that way.’

‘I know people will get mad at me for saying it,’ Paulson also shared, ‘but for me, this was post having played Marcia [Clark in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson] and it was what I went to do right after finishing Marcia,’ which paled in comparison