Just a Random Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson Appreciation Post

Feature image credit: Photo 1 by Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images / Photo 2 by Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images / Photo 3 by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

As a person of lesbian age gap relationship experience, Sarah Paulson has long been an inspiration as someone who seemingly has no interest in dating anyone who isn’t a minimum of 18 years older than her (that was her age gap with Cherry Jones — she upgraded to a 32-year age gap with Holland Taylor). I famously used to have a cat whose full name was Emmy Award Winner Sarah Paulson The Cat, shortened to Paulson. I lost Paulson in a bad breakup, something I’m still very sensitive about. You can read my weird essay about it at Catapult. In any case, my admiration for Emmy Award Winner Sarah Paulson The Human runs deep. As does my admiration of her relationship with Holland Taylor. While my own relationship has a mere 12-year age gap (I interviewed my gf about our age gap and other things earlier this year, and you can read it if you’re an A+ member), representation MATTERS, and Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor have been serving iconic age gap representation on red carpets and at press events for seven years now (did anyone else weep @ this Instagram caption Sarah posted about Holland a couple weeks ago?). Let us now look back at those seven gorgeous years of age gap glory.

Critics’ Choice Television Awards, 2015

Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson are sitting at a table. Holland is wearing a white dress with long sleeves. Sarah is wearing a black sleeveless dress and smiling while waving at the camera.

Photo by Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images

This is not technically the first official event appearance Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor did together to be documented by Getty Images, but in the photos of their first Getty documented appearance together, Andrew Rannells is standing in between them, and I prefer my Sarah and Holland pics to not feature a man between them. Anyway, look how happy they are! The New Relationship Energy is radiating off of them!

Ripcord Opening Night, 2015

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are snuggling. Sarah is wearing a white buttondown blouse with a black floral print on it. Holland is wearing a checkered suit set. They are both smiling at the camera.

Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images

If there’s one thing Holland Taylor is going to do, it’s Be In Plays. Sarah Paulson is living all our theater gay fantasies by dating such an iconic stage actress.

Fiddler on the Roof Opening Night, 2015

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are holding hands while walking. Sarah is walking ahead of Holland and wearing all black while looking away. Holland is wearing a red leather coat and beige scarf and walking behind Sarah. A sign for Fiddler on the Roof is in the background.

Photo by Walter McBride/WireImage via Getty Images

Sarah Paulson walking five paces in front of Holland Taylor even though they’re literally holding hands is indeed the age gap representation I love to see. My girlfriend is always saying things to me like “slow down” and “why are you running” and “are we running late to something?” because I for some reason feel a need to sprint at all times. I imagine that’s what’s also happening here.

Critics’ Choice Awards, 2016

Several celebrities stand on a blue carpet, including Sarah Paulson who is wearing a silver sequined mini dress and an off-white scarf. She is walking while looking down. Holland Taylor stands off to the side behind her, wearing a black and gold dress and staring at her with a smile.

Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage via Getty Images

THE WAY HOLLAND IS LOOKING AT HER HERE??????

The Front Page Opening Night, 2016

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor stand close to each other while looking in each other's eyes. Sarah is wearing an off white and black checked wool coat and a black turtleneck. Holland is wearing a pale pink dress with black detailing and a black cardigan.

Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images

I just realized how many of these photos are going to be from Broadway opening nights. These two really are a Theater Couple.

Time 100 Gala, 2017

Holland Taylor is wearing a black dress and holding her hands up in the air. Sarah Paulson is standing behind her, smiling, also wearing a black dress.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TIME

I’m not sure what’s happening here, but I support it. Is Holland Taylor doing a trust fall? They seem like the kind of couple who would do sporadic trust falls.

Candid, 2017

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are walking on a sidewalk. Sarah is wearing a long light brown teddy bear coat, black slouchy pants, and a big blue scarf. Holland is wearing a black jacket, black pants, and a patterned silk scarf. They both have black cross-shoulder bags. They're talking to each other and smiling.

Photo by Robert Kamau/GC Images via Getty Images

I’m obsessed with how often they seem to be making each other laugh in photos??? Also love these Casual Gay fits.

Candid, 2017

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are holding hands while walking. Sarah is biting her hand and looking down while wearing a large olive green coat, jeans, and a cross-shoulder bag. Holland Taylor is looking at the camera, wearing glasses, a red cardigan, black pants, and black boots.

Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images via Getty Images

Both of these fits are also extremely important to me. I’m also obsessed with the fact that they are BOTH Black Crossbody Shoulder Bag Gays?

 M. Night Shyamalan’s Halloween Party, 2017

Sarah Paulson is wearing a panda costume, and Holland Taylor is wearing a jester costume. They are arriving at a Halloween party.

Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images via Getty Images

Yes, you read that correctly. This was for M. Night Shyamalan’s halloween party, official name: Shyamaween. They are dressed as a…panda and a jester? Is there a reference I’m not getting here? Did they just run out of time and pop into the closest Spirit Halloween? I kind of expect better costume game from, as we have established, a Theater Couple?

Backstage at Sandemonium, 2017

Sarah Paulson, Sandra Bernhard, and Holland Taylor post for a photo. Sarah and Sandra are wearing shirts for Sandra's Broadway show Sandemonium. Holland is wearing a wool beanie and a large tan scarf.

Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images

The Dyke Energy of this photo is simply too powerful.

Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2018

Angela Bassett, Holland Taylor, and Sarah Paulson are at a red carpet event. Angela wears a colorful, shiny suit with a checked pattern and a large cocktail ring. Sarah wears black elbow-length gloves and a yellow evening dress. Holland wears a black suit. Angela's hand is on Sarah's butt.

Photo by Mike Coppola/VF18/Getty Images for VF

The gentle placement of Angela Bassett’s hand here…legendary.

Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2018

Sarah Paulson stands with Holland Taylor, looking at her and smiling. Sarah wears black elbow-length gloves and a yellow evening dress. Holland wears a black suit.

Photo by Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

I just 🥺 love 🥺 them 🥺 so 🥺 much 🥺

Literacy Partners Gala, 2018

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor stand with their arms around each other. Sarah is giving Holland googly eyes. Sarah wears a black dress with a v-neckline, and Holland wears a taupe suit.

Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor invented the 😍 emoji.

Candid, 2018

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor stand while looking in each other's eyes. Sarah is wearing a long plaid wool coat, and Holland is wearing a black suit with a black and white spotted blouse.

Photo by Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images

I have absolutely no use for it as I live in Miami, but I do need Sarah’s coat here.

Candid, 2019

Sarah Paulson wears a gray suit and white sneakers while walking ahead of Holland Taylor, whose hand she is holding. Holland wears a striped shirt, black blazer, and black pants. Leslie Grossman is also walking with them, wearing a long black dress with white polka dots.

Photo by Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images

Once again, Sarah is walking five paces ahead of Holland despite the fact that they’re holding hands. This is indeed how Kristen and I look when walking into any function.

Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2019

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor stand together. Sarah is wearing a long red dress, and Holland is wearing a black dress with a square neck. Sarah is holding Holland's arm.

Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

This prom ass pose!!!! Actually, give me a gay high school romcom where Sarah and Holland play two teachers at the high school who are secretly dating and chaperone prom.

Vanity Fair Oscars Party 2020

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are gazing into each other's eyes while smiling. Sarah wears a sparkly black dress with a white collar. Holland wears a black suit with pink detailing.

Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic via Getty Images

HOW many photos are there out there of these two just gazing longingly into each other’s eyes while laughing?????

The Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures Opening Gala, 2021

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor stand together. Sarah is wearing a long sparkly black dress and holding a clutch. Holland is wearing a beige double breasted jacket suit.

Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

It must be said that in addition to being age gap representation, these two are height gap representation. According to my little Googlings, there’s only a two inch difference between them, but that does not seem correct? Am I losing it? I realize heels could be doing some work here, but if you refer back to some of the candids where they’re both in flats/sneakers…it still looks like more than two inches!

Company Opening Night, 2021

Sarah Paulson gazes at Holland Taylor lovingly.

Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage via Getty Images

The opening night of Company in 2021 is bizarrely the most recent event that Getty Images has photos of Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor together at, but ending with the opening night of Company indeed feels correct for this Theater Couple.

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Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya is the managing editor of Autostraddle and a lesbian writer of essays, short stories, and pop culture criticism living in Orlando. She is the assistant managing editor of TriQuarterly, and her short stories appear or are forthcoming in McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, Joyland, Catapult, The Offing, and more. Some of her pop culture writing can be found at The A.V. Club, Vulture, The Cut, and others. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram and learn more about her work on her website.

Kayla has written 885 articles for us.

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