Holland Taylor has been a staple in Hollywood for many years and has starred in titles such as “Legally Blonde,” “The Practice,” and “Two and a Half Men.” She has also been awarded for her roles often.
The veteran actress recently celebrated her 80th birthday with her loved ones by her side. The celebration occurred on January 14, and her longtime partner, Sarah Paulson, showered her with love.
Taylor and Paulson have been in a relationship for several years, but it took ten years for them to begin their romance. The pair met in 2005, but social media brought them together as a couple a decade later.
Paulson and Taylor were at a party in 2005 when they first bumped into each other, and have each admitted that they were immediately attracted to one another. Recalling their first meeting, Paulson gushed:
“She was probably the most exquisitely beautiful woman I had ever seen.”
Later, the couple met each other again in passing and then began following one another on Twitter. Each of the women says the other made the first move, but their flirtation began in direct messages on Twitter.
Each of the women is madly in love with her partner, and Taylor once called Paulson “the most wonderful thing that happened in [her] life.” Taylor went on to mention how talented and multi-faceted her partner is.
Sarah Paulson and girlfriend Holland Taylor pose at The Opening Night of “The Front Page” on Broadway at The Broadhurst Theatre on October 20, 2016 in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Taylor mentioned Paulson could play any part presented to her, was an excellent mimic, and was fashionable on top of it all. Taylor also talked about how independent and self-assured her partner was.
The older actress then discussed how she had discovered her sexuality, saying she had her first relationship with a woman in her late 20s. Talking about when she revealed her sexuality to the world, Taylor confirmed:
“I didn’t come out simply because I wasn’t hiding in the first place.”
Now, she and her partner share an excellent relationship for which each woman is grateful. They often gush about one another in interviews and on social media, much to fans’ delight.
Why Was the Couple’s Relationship Slammed, and How Did They Respond?
Paulson and Taylor’s relationship shocked some because they were unaware of Taylor’s sexuality. Others were shocked that the couple was together because they have a 32-year age gap.
While Paulson and Taylor are madly in love with one another and often share their love on social media, with Paulson calling Taylor the “love of her life,” many fans of the women are not supportive of their relationship.
Social media users have often shared their thoughts about the couple’s relationship, particularly on Twitter. One user said they had just remembered the couple was together and found it “weird.”
Another user called the couple’s relationship “inappropriate” because of their age gap. In 2020, a Twitter user mentioned that Taylor was 77 at the time and Paulson was dating her, which she found strange.
One user said while she supported the couple’s relationship, she thought that Paulson might have “mama issues” because she was dating a woman so much older than herself. The woman also said she found their dynamic weird.
A user mentioned she accepted people loving who they wanted but found it weird that Paulson and Taylor were in a relationship because of their significant age gap. The user said she loved both women individually but didn’t know how to feel about them as a couple.
Another commenter likened the age gap between Paulson and Taylor to the one between Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner and her longtime partner, Corey Gamble. They said the most significant age gap they were comfortable with was ten years.
One Twitter user asked her followers if they knew that Paulson and Taylor were dating and then called it “weird.” Yet the women have not let the criticism bring them down and continue to grow from strength to strength.
Paulson said the majority of comments they receive on their relationship are positive, but some believe she has “mommy issues.” However, Paulson confirmed:
“I parent her as much as she parents me.”
The younger actress said she believed the reason people had an issue with their age gap was that they were ageist and thought that as people aged, they ceased to have desires that younger people have.
Paulson is fiercely protective of Taylor and their relationship. She said if anyone had anything negative to say about her relationship with Taylor, she became immediately defensive and wanted to fight.
Paulson said she hopes that she and Taylor being publicly in love with one another will inspire others with the same sort of relationships to feel comfortable with one another. She said:
“I didn’t choose to fall in love with the person I fell in love with. But I think why it’s interesting to people is that on paper, it’s unconventional.”
She said that inspiring other people to live as authentically as she and her partner were able to could not be a bad thing, and that was what pushed her to do so. She does not regret being open about her love for Taylor.
How Did Taylor Celebrate Her 80th Birthday?
Taylor and Paulson celebrate many things together, one of which was Taylor’s recent 80th birthday. To mark the occasion, Paulson took to Instagram to share a photo of her love and wish her a happy birthday.
Paulson shared a moving caption in which she praised her partner for being such a wonderful person and then said:
“I am happiest this way-YOU near.”
Fans and friends of the couple immediately took to the comments section to wish Taylor a happy birthday and say how beautiful the couple was together. One comment was from Taylor herself, saying the message was a beautiful “love letter.”
Taylor then shared her own post on Instagram, a photo of an exquisite flower arrangement, and said it was “an impossible expression of birthday love” from her partner. Fans and friends once again commented on the photo, saying the flowers were gorgeous.