Sarah Paulson credits Steven Spielberg and new shoes for the success of her first directing job on .
The actress, who has starred on the hit anthology series since 2011, stepped behind the camera for the show’s latest season, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, and credits the veteran filmmaker with giving her a crucial tip.
“I did change my shoes at lunch every day, per Steven Spielberg’s recommendation,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It did help. It resets the way you stand.
“He didn’t say anything about changing one’s socks, but I did that too,” she continued. “That way, you have fresh feet. Your feet aren’t tired, which is good because you’re on your feet a lot. Every time you sit down, you stand up. You have to go to this camera operator, go see the DP (Director of Photography), talk to the props department. That’s why it was really wonderful to realize, ‘Oh, it’s lunch! Not only do I get to eat and pee, I also get to put on my fresh shoes’.”
The footwear advice also helped Sarah feel connected to the Hollywood legend.
“There was also this little piece of me that dreamed of having that symbiotic connection with Steven Spielberg,” she added. “That is bound to increase the probability that I’ll get away with doing this (directing)!”
It’s also not the first time Spielberg has issued the advice – he gave Tom Hanks the very same tip when he made his directorial debut with 1996’s That Thing You Do!
