Tony Awards 2024: Sarah Paulson Secures First Ever Win For Appropriate; Gives Moving Acceptance Speech
sarah paulson
Sakina Kaukawala
Sarah Paulson, the renowned actress from the American Horror Story franchise, has received another prestigious award at the Tony Awards. Read on for her moving acceptance speech.
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Sarah Paulson, best known for her roles in the American Horror Story series, recently received another prestigious award. On Sunday, June 16, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her outstanding performance in Appropriate at the Belasco Theatre in New York City, as per Deadline.

A celebrated performance

Paulson's win is her first Tony Award, a milestone in her illustrious career. She played Toni, the Lafayette family's eldest child, in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' play Appropriate. Toni's efforts to reconnect with her siblings while dealing with her late father's estate in Arkansas form the basis of the plot.

In her acceptance speech, Paulson expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity to play such an engaging character. She said she would never be able to convey gratitude for trusting her with the role of Toni, "a woman you have written who makes no apologies, who isn’t begging to be liked or approved of but does hope to be seen. But don’t we all?”

Honoring theater history

Paulson, reflecting on her experiences, shared a touching memory from her time at the Belasco Theatre. "As a young actress, I remember seeing Janet McTeer burst on the stage in A Doll's House in the very theater I am currently living in," she said.

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Paulson, who was nominated alongside esteemed actresses such as Betsy Aidem (Prayer for the French Republic), Jessica Lange (Mother Play), Rachel McAdams (Mary Jane), and Amy Ryan (Doubt: A Parable), also expressed gratitude to those who supported her. She thanked producers Ambassador Theater Group and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Live, and she gave a special shout-out to her partner, Holland Taylor. "Holland, thank you for loving me," she said, recognizing Taylor's support.

A triumphant return to Broadway

Appropriate, a play that has been produced numerous times since its original writing in 2013, will make its Broadway debut in December 2023. The play, which starred Corey Stoll, Michael Esper, Ella Beatty, Elle Fanning, and Natalie Gold, sold out its initial run and was extended due to popular demand. Its success continued with a 13-week run at the Belasco Theater.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a playwright and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, praised Paulson's performance and dedication to theater. He told Vogue earlier in the month that Sarah, at her heart and in her origins, is a theater artist—an actual artist who is interested in pushing envelopes and upending expectations about what people can and cannot do. He said that she was the perfect person for this play.

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