Sarah Paulson brushes off her shoulder pads as Linda Tripp as Beanie Feldstein plays Monica Lewinsky

Sarah Paulson has taken on a range of eccentric roles, at the helm of friend and collaborator Ryan Murphy.

And the Golden Globe winner is already in character for their next project, which is based on a very familiar story for most American viewers. 

She brushed off her shoulder pads Monday to play Linda Tripp, as Beanie Feldstein slipped into character on the set of Murphy’s American Crime Story: Impeachment, inspired by the infamous Bill Clinton scandal.

The 46-year-old donned a blush pink collarless skirt suit with a very ’90s blonde wing, while taking precautions against COVID-19 in a face mask.

She was unrecognizable as the whistleblower and friend of Lewinsky, who died last April at 70 years old, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Tripp’s recordings of private calls with Lewinsky about the former White House intern’s affair with then-President Bill Clinton played an important role in the scandal. 

Paulson recently told DuJour of the project: ‘What was interesting to me is this story is really about these three women: Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp. There is one predominant thing that we forget: that these are human beings and multidimensional people. 

‘This series gives you an opportunity to understand some of the behavior. I have more in common with Linda than I care to admit. My impatience, my desire for everything to be just so. I can tap into that with Linda. I felt a connection with her.’       

She first revealed her transformation back in November on Twitter, writing: ‘Linda. American Crime Story: Impeachment has begun principle photography ⁦ @MrRPMurphy’ 

Feldstein, 27, was also spotted on set Monday, portraying Lewinsky in a blue pullover and black jacket with her shiny black hair pulled back. 

She gushed over the chance to work with Paulson back in November of 2019, telling Variety: ‘I love her more than anything and I’ve always been her number one fan. I think I’ve modeled my life over her life in any way I can.’

The Booksmart actress added: ‘If you know the story, [Lewinsky and Tripp] are best friends and then one deeply betrays the other one, [Paulson’s character] betrays me and I just couldn’t be more excited to play that out with the person I think to be one of the best actors of all time. And she’s just so funny and warm and giving, so to take this journey with her is going to be really exciting.’   

They join a star-studded cast, including Clive Owen as President Clinton, Betty Gilpin as Ann Coulter, Billy Eichner as Matt Drudge and Annaleigh Ashford as Clinton accuser Paula Jones.

Although the role of former First Lady Hillary Clinton has yet to be cast, she and Bill only play minor roles in the third installment of the anthology series.

FX CEO John Landgraf told The Hollywood Reporter in August of 2019: ‘Hillary is actually not a significant character in Impeachment because it’s really told from the point of view of these women who were really far from the center of power.

‘It’s really a revisionist history as told through the point of view of these women whose stories did not seem in any way central to the political stakes of what was going on but who became really central to that. Hillary is a character in it, but she’s not one of the main characters in it.’

The show will also allow Lewinsky, 47, to take control of the narrative, as the anti-bullying activist serves as a producer.

Lewinsky told Vanity Fair: ‘I was hesitant, and truthfully more than a little scared to sign on. But after a lengthy dinner meeting with Ryan, I came to understand even more clearly how dedicated he is to giving a voice to the marginalized in all of his brilliant work. 

‘I’m privileged to work with him and the other talented people on the team, and I’m privileged to have this opportunity. People have been co-opting and telling my part in this story for decades. In fact, it wasn’t until the past few years that I’ve been able to fully reclaim my narrative; almost 20 years later.’

Production on Impeachment: American Crime Story resumed last month, after a positive COVID test on set forced them to temporarily shut down in December.