Biography
Prior to becoming one of the more unlikely leading men in Hollywood, actor Paul Giamatti made a career out of playing comic foils and repressed loners constantly on the verge of exploding with rage. Giamatti first grabbed the public's attention with his vitriolic performance as Kenny - a.k.a. Pig Vomit - Howard Stern's nemesis in "Private Parts" (1997), before quickly developing into the go-to guy for a director looking for an everyman-type …
Career Milestones
1990 | Made acting debut in the ABC TV-movie "I'll Take Romance" |
1992 | Made feature debut in Cameron Crowe's "Singles" |
1992 | Played a supporting role opposite Rutger Hauer in the USA Network thriller "Past Midnight" |
1995 | Had a small role in Woody Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite" |
1996 | Appeared opposite brother Marcus in the off-Broadway play "The Blues Are Running" |
1997 | Breakthrough role, playing Kenny 'Pig Vomit' Rushton, Stern's antagonistic program director at WNBC in the film adaptation of Howard Stern's "Private Parts" |
1997 | Featured as an FBI Technician in Mike Newell's "Donnie Brasco" |
1997 | Played the spineless brother in the Broadway production of "The Three Sisters" |
1998 | Appeared as the Control Room Director in Peter Weir's "The Truman Show" |
1998 | Portrayed Civil War veteran Jeremiah Piper in ABC's "Tourist Trap" |
1999 | Played Jimmy Tomorrow in the Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" |
1999 | Played Kaufman's creative partner Bob Zmuda in the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon," directed by Miloš Forman |
2001 | Provided comic relief as the ape who trafficks in humans in Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" |
2002 | Cast as a film producer in "Big Fat Liar" opposite Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes |
2003 | Cast opposite Ben Affleck in John Woo's "Paycheck" |
2003 | Played the lead role in the Harvey Pekar biopic "American Splendor" |
2004 | Played Miles Faymond, a divorced struggling writer in Alexander Payne's "Sideways" |
2005 | Portrayed manager/trainer Joe Gould opposite Russell Crowe in "Cinderella Man" |
2006 | Cast as the lead in M. Night Shyamalan's supernatural thriller "Lady in the Water" |
2006 | Portrayed the shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl in Neil Burger's "The Illusionist" |
2007 | Portrayed Santa Claus in the comedy "Fred Claus," co-starring Vince Vaughn as his disgruntled older brother |
2008 | Played the title role in the seven part HBO miniseries "John Adams" |
2009 | Portrayed Tolstoy's trusted follower Vladimir Chertkov in "The Last Station," starring Christopher Plummer as Tolstoy |
2010 | Cast in the title role in "Barney's Version," a Canadian drama based on the novel of the same name |
2011 | Co-starred in "The Ides of March" with George Clooney, who also directed, co-wrote and produced |
2011 | Made a cameo in "The Hangover Part II" |
2011 | Nominated for the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie |
2011 | Portrayed Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke in HBO's "Too Big to Fail" |
2011 | Starred as a high school wrestling coach in the sports themed drama "Win Win" |
2012 | Cast alongside Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin in feature adaptation of the stage musical "Rock of Ages" |
Awards
2003 | National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance Actor in American Splendor |
2004 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in Sideways |
2004 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Sideways |
2004 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in American Splendor |
2004 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Sideways |
2004 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Sideways |
2004 | San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Sideways |
2004 | Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Sideways |
2005 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Cinderella Man |
2005 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor in Cinderella Man |
2005 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in Cinderella Man |
2005 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Cinderella Man |
2005 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in Sideways |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Sideways |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Sideways |
2005 | Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Performance, Male in Cinderella Man |
2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Cinderella Man |
2008 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in John Adams |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Movie in John Adams |
2009 | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for Best Actor Award in Cold Souls |
2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in John Adams |
2010 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Barney's Version |
2011 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Too Big to Fail |
2011 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie in Too Big to Fail |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Too Big to Fail |