‘My heart breaks for Sarah Paulson’: It took Maggie Smith dying for one mother to learn that she is not, in fact, Holland Taylor

It’s not a hard mistake to make. Both Maggie Smith and Holland Taylor are older actresses with lots of iconic roles behind them, and both are attractive and charismatic. However, only one of them is dating actress Sarah Paulson, as one mother found out after texting her daughter condolences for the latter.

This hilarious exchange between mother and daughter happened on X and quickly went viral, with more than 1.3 million views as of this writing. A woman who goes by the handle @gaycrouton sent her mother a news alert that famed British actress Maggie Smith had passed away. Both mom and kid shared similar reactions of sadness, disbelief, and despair.

Then mom pulls out a fast one out of nowhere: “My heart breaks for Sarah Paulson.” Paulson and Taylor have been a couple since 2015. Smith, on the other hand, had two husbands: Robert Stephens, who she married in 1967 and divorced in 1975, and Beverly Cross, who she married in 1975 and remained married to until he died in 1998.

Paulson and Taylor are a same-sex couple who have 32 years between them. They are definitely relationship goals, though. What’s the secret to their courtship? On a 2024 appearance on the popular podcast Smartless, Paulson said it was because they don’t live together.

That’s the secret to it,” she said. “We spend plenty of time together but we don’t live in the same house. We’re together when we want to be and we’re not when we don’t.”

Most people seem to understand the confusion, with one commenter completely understanding how someone could make the mistake. But is it just a matter of two older women simply being older women? Some people think so.

No one wants to imagine Taylor’s passing (well, some people do). What if it was true? It’s not. But what if it was?

We can all agree on one thing I think, and that’s the sky-high levels of warm and fuzzies we’re all feeling despite the gaping loss that is Smith’s absence.

There’s also the pretty plaintive fact that Smith is probably the type of woman Paulson would fancy. Is that a stretch to say? Maybe. It feels right!

Regardless, let’s all bask in the knowledge that while Smith is gone, we still have (hopefully) years left with Pauland. Taylorson? These nicknames don’t always flow off the tongue like they should. If they do catch on, just remember you heard it here first. Here’s to the happy couple! And R.I.P. Maggie Smith — we all loved you very much.