Paul Giamatti
A character actor of profound depth, he transforms everyman roles into unforgettable portraits of human complexity and vulnerability.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American actor·Birthday: June 6·Generation X
Biography
Paul Giamatti didn't look like a typical leading man, and that became his superpower. The son of a Yale University president and a former actress, he carved a path through independent film and television, bringing a rumpled, intellectual intensity to every part. His breakout came as the miserable wine snob in 'Sideways,' a performance that captured a specific male melancholy with heartbreaking humor. He has since moved seamlessly between blockbusters and intimate dramas, from playing a cynical manager in 'Barney's Version' to embodying historical figures like John Adams on HBO. Giamatti's gift is his ability to locate the soul within the schlub, making the ordinary feel epic. His work suggests that the most compelling stories are often found in the lives of people who believe they've been overlooked.
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.
Paul was born in 1967, 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 Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
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
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for his leading role in the HBO miniseries 'John Adams.'
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in 'The Holdovers.'
- Portrayed the iconic comic book character Rhino in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2.'
- Earned widespread critical acclaim for his role as a depressed writer in the film 'Sideways.'
Did You Know?
He turned down a role in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy due to scheduling conflicts.
Giamatti is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.
He provided the voice for the character Bigby Wolf in the video game 'The Wolf Among Us.'
“I'm interested in people who are not necessarily the most attractive or the most successful, but who are struggling with something.”
