The Glee Character You Didn't Know AHS' Sarah Paulson Almost Played

For the past decade, it has been impossible not to notice the connection between Sarah Paulson and Ryan Murphy. According to Elle, the pair had been acquainted since the early aughts when she was cast on his show "Nip/Tuck." But Paulson is probably most notable for being at the center of some of the best episodes of "American Horror Story." She first appeared in a small role in Season 1 as medium Billie Dean Howard, but she would soon become a regular of the anthology series; she has since appeared in all but one season so far.

Paulson also appeared in Murphy's other projects like "The People vs. O.J. Simpson" and more recently the FX series "Ratched." Murphy denies that Paulson is his muse, but there is no question that the two have a symbiotic relationship when telling stories. And while Paulson is certainly recognizable now with her multiple film and television credits (with and without Murphy), there is one big role that she missed out on.

It seems almost impossible that William McKinley's high school guidance counselor, Emma Pillsbury, be played by anyone but Jayma Mays. But Ryan Murphy told Elle in 2017 that he had a different idea altogether, and that was to cast Sarah Paulson in the role. Although Murphy wanted Paulson on "Glee," the actress had been committed to a play at the time, "Collected Stories," where she starred alongside Linda Lavin. Murphy recounted that he didn't take it that well. This was confirmed by Paulson in the same interview, as she told the publication that the "Glee" co-creator was "a little mad" at her for passing on the role.

Emma Pillsbury was McKinley High's guiding light who struggled with OCD. Her quirkiness defined her character and she ultimately ended up marrying the director of New Directions, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison). Emma was a mainstay for the entire run of the series. She and Will had their ups and downs in addition to her broken marriages. But eventually, the two found a way to make it work. Jayma Mays seems irreplaceable as the character now, but there is no doubt that Paulson would have made a great addition to the cast.