Sinatra From Paradise Is Stunning In Real Life

If you've been watching the Hulu series "Paradise," then you're familiar with Sinatra. Played by Julianne Nicholson, Sinatra is a self-made tech billionaire with loads of secrets and, like many in the show, a thirst for power. But while that may be what we see on screen (and Sinatra is destined to become one of the most iconic female characters as the series continues), in real life, Nicholson is anything but the ruthless and murderous role she plays. This type of villain is a first for Nicholson, who's been in the industry for a long time.

"I love mixing things up as an actor, and I love that Sinatra is a complex woman," Nicholson told the AV Club about her character. "Feeling her vulnerability doesn't also mean that she can't be tough as nails. We don't have to be one thing. It's just fun to play this particular type of boss and let people see it on the screen ... I had also never played this type of a person before, so I was mostly looking forward to flexing these acting muscles." 

While watching Nicholson play this type of role is exciting and, as she points out, allows her to show what she's capable of as an actor, her less villainous roles hold up as well. For example, she played an adorably charming lovesick bookstore clerk in 1999's "The Love Letter" and from 2006 to 2009 Nicholson was Detective Megan Wheeler on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." In other words, when it comes to range, Nicholson nails it.

Because Julianne Nicholson has played many different roles, when you see her as Sinatra you may recognize her, but can't place her. With so many people in the industry, only a handful become household names, while the rest go through their career as character actors — something that Julianne Nicholson is proud to be. "I mean, that's the most exciting thing for me is if someone doesn't recognize me," Nicholson told NPR's Fresh Air in July 2024 regarding her career. "That's a thing to strive for, I feel like, if you can sort of play someone that different from the other characters you've played, that's the goal."

Even though Nicholson won an Emmy for her role in HBO's "Mare of Easttown" in 2021, opposite the equally stunning Kate Winslet, her standing as a character actor didn't change. "I'd had, in my mind, many, many, many [thoughts of] 'This is it. It all changes on this date when the pilot airs!' Then it's like, 'Oh.' I feel like it's going to be that way till the last job I do," Nicholson told Vanity Fair in July 2024. 

Should her role as Sinatra shoot Nicholson to fame, she'll be excited, but if not, she'll always be happy to remain a character actor. "It just has to be about who I get to work with, stories I want to tell, stories that I feel like are valuable to put out there," Nicholson told VF. And that's exactly what Nicholson is doing and has always done, making her career an absolute success story.