Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti is an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he attended Choate Rosemary Hall before enrolling at Yale University. He studied English and was involved with the theatre program during his undergraduate years, earning a bachelor’s degree in English in 1989. He received a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama in 1994.

Giamatti began his career in theater before transitioning to film with supporting roles in the 1990s. He gained early recognition with appearances in Private Parts (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998), but his breakthrough came in 2003 with American Splendor, in which he portrayed comic writer Harvey Pekar.

His notable film credits include Sideways (2004), Cinderella Man (2005), The Illusionist (2006), Shoot ’Em Up (2007), Barney’s Version (2010) and 12 Years a Slave (2013). He received the Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cinderella Man. On television, he has starred in Showtime’s Billions, 30 Coins and Black Mirror. In 2024, he received his second Oscar nomination for The Holdovers, which also earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Giamatti married Elizabeth Cohen in 1997, and the couple welcomed son Samuel in 2000. They later divorced, and he moved on with Clara Wong.