Holland Taylor has opened up about her unconventional living arrangement with longtime partner Sarah Paulson, explaining how demanding acting careers and geographical distance shape their relationship of more than a decade.
During an October 20 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Taylor, 83, addressed questions about why she and Paulson, 51, do not share a single permanent residence. The Two and a Half Men star clarified that their setup is driven largely by logistics and the constant pull of work commitments.
“We do as much time as we possibly can, because work takes us apart constantly,” Taylor told host Drew Barrymore. She detailed their bicoastal routine, noting, “I have an apartment here [in New York] and she stays here at my apartment when she’s here, and we stay together here when we’re both here.”
Balancing Bicoastal Schedules and Separate Properties
While the couple divides their time between properties on opposite coasts, Taylor revealed that Paulson has been staying at her homes in New York and Los Angeles while awaiting her move into a new house-a transition that has taken nearly a year.
“In L.A., I have a separate house from hers, but her new house, she hasn’t moved into,” Taylor explained. “It’s been almost a year since she’s been staying in my house in L.A., too. So we’re together as much as geography and our jobs let us be.”
The couple first met at a party in 2005 before connecting romantically and going public with their relationship in 2015. Despite spending years together, they have consistently chosen to maintain independent living spaces.
Sarah Paulson Calls Living Apart the ‘Secret’ to Their Longevity
Taylor’s recent remarks echo sentiments previously shared by Paulson. During a May 2024 appearance on the SmartLess podcast hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, the American Horror Story star described living apart as the “secret” to their successful relationship.
“We spend plenty of time together, but we don’t live in the same house,” Paulson said on the podcast. “We’ve been together for a long time now. And part of it has to do with, we’re together when we want to be and we’re not when we don’t.”
When the podcast hosts suggested alternative living arrangements-such as living under the same roof in separate bedrooms-Paulson immediately pushed back against the idea, noting that physical closeness remains a priority when they are actually together.
“No, because my favorite thing to do-we fall asleep holding hands, Holland and I. We sleep holding hands. I like to sleep near her,” Paulson shared, adding with a laugh, “I don’t want to be around her the rest of the time. Just kidding!”
Mutual Respect and Admiration
Beyond their living arrangements, Taylor used her television appearance to praise Paulson’s character, particularly highlighting her dedication to maintaining deep personal connections despite the pressures of a busy Hollywood career.
“She’s very serious about some things and she is the most artful friend of anyone I’ve ever known,” Taylor said of her partner. “Friendships really, not always, but they do require a certain amount of investment, time, attention, and sometimes work… she gives it all.”
As both actresses continue balancing robust professional schedules across New York and Los Angeles, their flexible approach to cohabitation continues to prove that relationship milestones do not have to follow a traditional blueprint.
