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Sarah Paulson Opens Up About Helping Pal Katherine LaNasa Through Her First Emmys: ‘Calls Me Her Emmys Coach’ (Exclusive)
“I’ve been really fortunate to have gone and run that gauntlet a couple of times, and I’ve won and I’ve lost,” Paulson tells PEOPLE

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Alex Ross

Alex Ross

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Published on September 20, 2025 09:00PM EDT

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Sarah Paulson; Katherine LaNasa.
Credit : Amy Sussman/Gettyl;Frazer Harrison/Getty

NEED TO KNOW
Sarah Paulson told PEOPLE that she helped her friend Katherine LaNasa through her first Emmy Awards ceremony“She calls me her Emmy coach,” Paulson saysLaNasa won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in The Pitt at the 2025 Emmys on Sept. 14

Katherine LaNasa had a little help from a friend as she navigated her very first Emmy Awards experience.

While chatting with PEOPLE at the Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program Luncheon on Sept. 16, LaNasa’s pal Sarah Paulson told PEOPLE that she gave The Pitt star, 58, some advice ahead of the Sept. 14 ceremony.

“She calls me her Emmys coach because I’ve been really fortunate to have gone and run that gauntlet a couple of times, and I’ve won and I’ve lost,” Paulson, 50, says.

“I just sort of was trying to remind her of all the things that nobody was there to tell me about, which is to try to breathe and take it all in and enjoy the moment and just try to be where your feet are,” the American Horror Story actress continues, noting that Jamie Lee Curtis once gave her similar advice.

Sarah Paulson (left) and Katherine LaNasa on the red carpet at the 2025 Emmy Awards.
Amy Sussman/Gettyl;Frazer Harrison/Getty

“When I was going through a particularly anxious time … [Curtis] said, ‘More will be revealed. Be where your feet are.’ And so I said the same to Katherine,” Paulson explains.

Paulson describes it as “this beautiful chain of women sharing with other women the things that they’ve learned and helping them sort of move through these very bizarre things that we’re asked to do in terms of Emmy Awards and all that stuff.”

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LaNasa ended up having quite an unforgettable night for her first time at the Emmys. She took home the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award for her role as no-nonsense charge nurse Dana Evans in The Pitt.

Katherine LaNasa accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award at the 2025 Emmys.
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

In an emotional acceptance speech, she told the audience, “Oh my goodness, I am so proud and honored to receive this award from the Academy. My whole career, I wanted to work for [producer] John Wells, and he elevates everything.”

LaNasa went on to thank the nurses who inspired her portrayal of nurse Evans, along with her costar, “the incomparable Noah Wyle,” who plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinovitch in the HBO Max medical drama series.

Katherine LaNasa as charge nurse Dana Ross in ‘The Pitt’ on HBO Max.
Warrick Page/Max

She also gave a shout-out to her family. “Lastly, my children for making me real, and my beautiful husband, Grant Show, for helping me always with everything.”

Ahead of the big night in Los Angeles, LaNasa told PEOPLE that she already felt like a winner simply for being nominated.

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“I feel like I already won because you never un-become an Emmy-nominated actress,” LaNasa said. “It’s really a lovely stamp of approval from your peers.”

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“It’s crazy — you stay on the sidelines for so much of your career, you don’t really ever expect to be one of the nominees,” she added. “To be one is really just delightful. I feel like I got a ticket to ride and I’m happy about it.”

Season 1 of The Pitt is streaming on HBO Max. Season 2 premieres in January.