Aaron Paul
He transformed a supporting role into the raw, beating heart of a television revolution, making Jesse Pinkman an unforgettable portrait of addiction and redemption.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American actor·Birthday: August 27·Generation X
Biography
Aaron Paul arrived in Hollywood with little more than a car and a dream, scraping by with small TV roles before landing the part that would define a generation of television. As Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad, he was the volatile, vulnerable counterpoint to Walter White's calculated evil, delivering a performance that was equal parts tragic and explosive. His work earned him three Emmy Awards, a rarity for a supporting actor, and cemented the character as a cultural touchstone. Paul leveraged that success into a varied career, voicing characters in animated hits like BoJack Horseman, starring in dystopian dramas like The Path, and reprising his signature role for the film El Camino. His journey from Idaho to the pinnacle of prestige TV is a testament to the power of a single, perfectly realized performance.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aaron was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad.
- Reprised his iconic role in the Netflix film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, which served as a direct sequel to the series.
- Provided the voice for Todd Chavez in the critically acclaimed Netflix series BoJack Horseman.
- Starred as Eddie Lane in the Hulu original series The Path, exploring the complexities of a religious movement.
Did You Know?
He worked as a movie theater usher at the Universal CityWalk cinemas before his big break.
He and Breaking Bad co-star Bryan Cranken own a small-batch tequila brand called Dos Hombres.
His first major acting credit was a guest spot on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1999.
“Yeah, science!”
