'My life choices are unconventional': Sarah Paulson, 42, defends her 'odd' romance with Holland Taylor, 74... as she reveals she was warned the relationship could 'hurt' her career

Published: 16:12 GMT, 7 December 2017 | Updated: 18:43 GMT, 7 December 2017

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She's been in a romantic relationship with 74-year-old actress and playwright Holland Taylor for almost three years.

And Sarah Paulson, 42, has revealed to NET-A-PORTER’s digital magazine, The EDIT that she's baffled at how much attention their age difference has garnered, with the actress even receiving warnings that the pairing could hurt her career.

'My life choices are, um, unconventional,' she said. 'I’m with a much older person and people find that totally fascinating and odd, and, to me, it’s the least interesting thing about me. But I do feel a bit unconventional.

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Glamorous lady: Sarah Paulson is featured in the latest edition of NET-A-PORTER’s The EDIT

'I am a woman of a certain age who chose not to have children, and who has made my career my priority. I am the captain of my own ship, and I’ve never looked to anyone else to validate that, or tell me it’s okay.'

Of the warnings she'd received, she said: 'Early on, when people found out I was with Holland, some said: "I think you have to be careful, I’m afraid it’s going to affect your career negatively." I was like, what? It never occurred to me at all.'

However, the actress admitted that when she scooped an Emmy for her lauded portrayal of Marcia Clark in The People v. O. J. Simpson, she initially question whether she'd publicly address Taylor from the stage.

Fascination: The actress, 42, admitted that she couldn't understand the fascination over her romance with 74-year-old actress and playwright Holland Taylor

She recalled: 'It occurred to me, should I not [say "I love you" to Taylor onstage]? And then I thought, why would I not? The fact I’m having this thought is wrong.

'But I had a moment of societal concern; wondering if, maybe, people who didn’t know that about me would be like, wait, what? But then, you know, I did it anyway.'

Perhaps one element of her life that she would agree with others finding fascinating is the fact that she's in a WhatsApp chat group with Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, and Awkwafina.

Of having such an exclusive list of stars saved in her phone - thanks to their roles together in the upcoming movie Ocean's Eight - she said: 'I’m not going to lie, it is a very cool chain to be part of.

Dreaming big: The Emmy-winning actress revealed that she comes from a family of ambitious women - so much so that she dreamed of winning an Oscar as a child

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'We can go weeks without a chirp, then someone sends one message, and it’s like – ‘brp, brp, brp’ – your phone just blows up for hours.'

But there's one star who Florida-born Sarah grew up looking up to, particularly because she was told she bore a resemblance to her: Julia Roberts, whose image adorned her school locker in the form of large posters.

Lady in red: The actress wows on The EDIT's cover, wearing a plunging red dress

She said: 'I found [Julia Roberts] so charming and witty and winning. At the time, people told me I looked like her. So, there was a slight narcissistic connection in my brain. I thought maybe I could play her sister or something.'

And while the actress boasts achievements that many in her field can only dream of, she admits that she's never been one to settle for things the way they are.

'I come from a family of women who want things,' she explained. 'I am ambitious and unsatisfied in general. I’m not often content with anything the way it is; I always want more.

'I dreamt about holding an Emmy for a long time. As a kid, I dreamt about holding any kind of statue: I would practice holding an Oscar in the bathroom.'

To see The EDIT’s full interview with Sarah Paulson, go to NET-A-PORTER's site. Download the free EDIT app at the App Store and Google Play.

In good company: The Florida-born actress is in a WhatsApp chat group with her Ocean's Eight castmates, including Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett