Holland Taylor's Life in Photos

01/14/2025 08:30 AM

From her Broadway beginnings to finding love with Sarah Paulson, take a look back at Holland Taylor's more than 50 years in the spotlight

Holland Taylor has been lighting up the stage and screen for more than five decades.

The actress, who turns 82 on Jan. 14, 2024, kicked off her acting career in the late 1960s on Broadway before venturing into television with roles on shows such as Beacon Hill and Bosom Buddies.

Now, more than 50 years after making her screen debut, Taylor is a Tony-nominated and Emmy winning actress who continues to captivate audiences with her performances and in her personal life, is happily in love with fellow actress Sarah Paulson.

In honor of her birthday, here's a look back at her career and in life in photos.

Holland Taylor's Early Years

Holland Taylor was born on January 13, 1943 in Philadelphia. She went on to graduate from Bennington College in 1964 and shortly after kicked off her acting career on stage in New York City.

Here, she poses with her mother, Virginia Davis Taylor, and her two sisters.

Holland Taylor's Young Career

After kicking her career off on stage in the late 1960s, Taylor's onscreen career began around the same time with her first recurring role coming in 1975 on Beacon Hill and later on The Edge of Night.

Here, she poses with Beacon Hill costar Nancy Marchand in 1975.

Holland Taylor on 'Bosom Buddies'

In the '80s, though, she landed a role opposite Tom Hanks in the sitcom Bosom Buddies which kicked her Hollywood career into full gear.

Holland Taylor on 'The Practice'

In the late '90s, Taylor landed the role of Judge Roberta Kittleson on The Practice — a performance that earned her an Emmy win in 1999. She appeared on the show from 1998-2003.

Holland Taylor at the Emmys

Over the years, Taylor has been nominated for 9 Emmys for her roles in projects like Two and A Half Men, Hollywood and most recently,The Morning Show.

Holland Taylor on 'Two and a Half Men'

She stepped into the role of Charlie and Alan Harper's mother on Two and a Half Men over the course of the show's 12 season run.

Hollad Taylor in 'Legally Blonde'

In 2001, Taylor appeared as Professor Stromwell in Legally Blonde alongside Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair.

Holland Taylor on Stage

In addition to her stacked onscreen resume, Taylor has an impressive list of theater credits as well — in fact, it's where her career first started.

Taylor's first Broadway credit came in 1965 as part of the ensemble and understudy for the role of Sister Louise in The Devils. In 1972, she was back on The Great White Way originating the role of Annie Butley in Butley. Per Broadway World, she also scored a fair number of off-Broadway credits during that time, in shows like The Poker Session and Colette.

In 2013, Ann, the one-woman show she wrote and starred in about former Texas governor Ann Richards, made its Broadway debut after runs in Texas, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It later went on to have a run in L.A.

Holland Taylor at the Tony Awards

Taylor attended the 2023 Tony Awards in New York City as a nominee for her performance in Ann. The award ultimately went to Cicely Tyson forThe Trip to Bountiful.

Holland Taylor Back on Stage

In 2024, Taylor was back on stage in New York City, this time in the off-Broadway production of N/A.

"People say it's about Nancy Pelosi and AOC [Ocasio-Cortez]. It's just not about them as people," Taylor explained of the show. "It evokes them in order to show a dialogue between generations and points of view politically, and also to show how politics actually works. What is it? What does it mean if you're a politician? What do you do? How are you playing out what you want to happen in society?"

Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson

Taylor has been dating fellow actress Sarah Paulson for nearly 10 years — after she slid into the American Horror Story star's DMs in 2015.

"It's the most wonderful, extraordinary thing that could have ever possibly happened in my life," Taylor has previously said of finding love with Paulson.

Holland Taylor on 'The Morning Show'

Taylor's most recent onscreen credit has come in the Witherspoon- and Jennifer Aniston-led The Morning Show where she plays Cybil Richards — a role that has earned her an Emmy nomination.

Holland Taylor Today

According to IMBD, Taylor, who turns 82 on Jan. 14, 2024, is set to appear in the upcoming movie Motherland.

And in her personal life, her relationship with Paulson continues to shine.

Last year, in celebration of her birthday, the Ocean's Eight actress paid tribute to her longtime love on Instagram writing "Happy Birthday to my one and only love. You are, quite simply- my world."