Amanda Peet praised by best friend Sarah Paulson over essay on parents' deaths amid cancer battle


The Your Friends and Neighbors actress reflected on losing both of her parents just as she had been diagnosed with breast cancer


Sarah Paulson, Amanda Peet at the Apple TV+ "Your Friends & Neighbors" New York Premiere held at DGA New York Theater on April 08, 2025 in New York, New York© Getty Images
Beatriz Colon
Beatriz ColonNew York Writer - New York
March 22, 2026
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Amanda Peet has a trove of support from family and famous friends alike.

On March 21, the Your Friends and Neighbors actress, 54, penned an essay for the New Yorker in which she reflected on battling breast cancer while grappling with taking care of and later the the loss of both of her parents, who were both in hospice at the same time on opposite coasts.

Following its publication, the A Lot Like Love star's best friend of over 20 years, Sarah Paulson, publicly cheered her on.

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Taking to Instagram, Sarah, who recorded to audio version of the essay, first noted: "My best friend, Amanda Peet — the weirdest thing in the world is to say her full name out loud, as I call her Bird — but that's the name her parents gave her."

She went on: "Seems fitting to use here as she has written the most profoundly gorgeous essay about the loss of her parents, while dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. @newyorkermag has published it today, and I'm screaming from the rooftops with joy."

"If you are running around and doing other stuff, I did the audio recording and you can listen to me try to do the piece justice. My friend is a @newyorkermag essayist. How outrageously groovy is that? Bird, I love you beyond," she concluded.

Sarah Paulson (L) and US actress Amanda Peet attend Paulson's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star ceremony in Hollywood on December 2, 2025© Getty Images
Sarah and Amanda at the former's Hollywood Walk of Fame

Fans and celebrity friends alike were quick to then take to the comments section under the post and share their compliments for the piece, with singer Pink writing: "Made me cry and call my mom," as Ali Wentworth added: "It's a beautifully written piece. All too familiar. Give Amanda a huge hug for me!"

Others followed suit with: "Can't wait to read! Your friendship is so beautiful," and: "I read this morning. So extraordinary," as well as: "What a beautiful piece. All love to your best pal!"

Amanda and Sarah have been best friends since 1999, after meeting on the set of Jack & Jill.

David Benioff, Amanda Peet, Sarah Paulson, and Holland Taylor attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California© Getty Images
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"It's one of the longest [friendships] of my life," Sarah told People in 2022, adding: "I find it incredibly grounding, but also wildly chaotic in the most fun way possible."

David Benioff and Amanda Peet attend the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California© Getty Images
Amanda's husband is the co-creator of Game of Thrones

Sarah was even in the delivery room when Amanda welcomed her first child. "It was very wild, and very, very poignant," she said of the birth of Amanda's daughter Frances, who is now 19, as Amanda herself revealed: "I get street cred for being her friend, from my daughter."

In addition to Frances, who goes by Frankie, Amanda is also a mom to son Henry, born in 2014, who she shares with husband David Benioff, who she married in 2006. 

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