Sarah Paulson plans to gain weight to play Linda Tripp, recalls lack of offers after The People v. O.J. Simpson

The Hollywood Reporter

"I’m going to take about three months off to eat some food, because I’m going to gain some weight to play her," Paulson said in discussing her Impeachment: American Crime Story role at the New Yorker Film Festival on Saturday. "I don’t want to wear a suit because I think it will feel very strange. And also, this story is not a story that we’re unfamiliar with, but it is being told through the lens of the female perspective in terms of the three main women who were involved in this impeachment: Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp. And part of it is about the invisible nature of these women, so I didn’t really feel like it would be a great idea for me to come to work putting on some faux suit and be all pumped up with prosthetics and not be able to move my face or feel the feelings that she might have been feeling." Paulson also discussed her Ratched role and recalled her last American Crime Story experience. "The minute the show was over, I think Sterling (K. Brown) had several offers for movies," said Paulson. "And I was offered nothing," Recalling winning a Golden Globe and Emmy for playing Marcia Clark, Paulson added: "I did think it was strange that it was a full year after it had been over. And I did have this extraordinary thing happen with statues and things — and with those things, you think, comes more opportunity — and, nothing was coming to me. And I thought it was so interesting that for him, as a man, it was immediate. And mine took a little bit longer." Paulson made sure to note that Brown "deserves everything, always," as the actors have remained close since their co-starring on the FX series.