# Paul Schneider (actor)

Paul Andrew Schneider is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Dick Liddil in the epic western film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) and his lead role as Mark Brendanawicz on the first and second seasons of the NBC political satirical sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–10). He also appeared in lead roles in the romantic drama film All the Real Girls (2003) and the comedy film The Babymakers (2012), the former of which he co-wrote with David Gordon Green and was nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer.
He has since appeared in supporting roles in films such as Elizabethtown (2005), Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Away We Go (2009), Water for Elephants (2011), Hello Carter (2013), Rules Don't Apply (2016), Brothers by Blood (2020), and American Murderer (2022). For his portrayal of Charles Armitage Brown in the biographical romantic drama film Bright Star (2009), Schneider won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also awarded Best Actor in a Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival for his performance in the romantic comedy drama film Goodbye to All That (2014).

## Early life

Schneider was born in Oakland, California, and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

## Career

In 2000, Schneider made his film debut in David Gordon Green's George Washington and starred in All the Real Girls. As research for his role as Jesse Baylor in Elizabethtown, director Cameron Crowe suggested that Schneider tour with the band My Morning Jacket for five days. Schneider accompanied the band to concerts held in such locations as Irving Plaza, the Webster Theater, the Theater of the Living Arts, and Stone Pony Landing.
After Elizabethtown, Schneider had supporting roles in The Family Stone and Live Free or Die. In 2007, he portrayed Gus Lindstrom in Lars and the Real Girl and Dick Liddil in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He was named one of "Ten Actors to Watch" by Variety. In 2008, he made his directorial debut with the independent film Pretty Bird, and played President William Henry Harrison in the episode of the Comedy Central series Drunk History Vol. 4.
In 2009, Schneider appeared as Charles Armitage Brown in Bright Star, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Society of Film Critics. The award was shared with Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. He portrayed Courtney Farlander in Away We Go.
In arguably his most mainstream role, Schneider co-starred as Mark Brendanawicz in the NBC series Parks and Recreation, appearing in the first two seasons from 2009 to 2010 before leaving the series. In a April 2014 interview with ScreenCrush, Schneider said that he had felt sidelined:
   That experience was very strange for me. You know, I signed up for a specific character that was changed in mid-season. And it became a character with a lot less to do. And, all of a sudden, I was kind of confused and kind of having a lot less to do.
In 2018, Schneider made his Broadway debut in Young Jean Lee's play Straight White Men as Matt. Schneider's performance earned praise, with The New York Times critic Jesse Green singling him out as one of the highlights of the production.

## Personal life

On April 16, 2016, Schneider married Theresa Avila, an occupational therapist and co-founder of The World Lens Foundation, of which Schneider is a board member. The two have two daughters, Lou and Rae. Schneider is an Innocence Project Ambassador.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Pleasant Grove | Bedford | Short film |
| 1998 | Physical Pinball | | Short film |
| 2000 | George Washington | Rico Rice | |
| 2003 | Security, Colorado | Paul | Filmed in the Dogme 95 style. |
| 2003 | All the Real Girls | Paul | Also writer |
| 2003 | Crude | Gabe | |
| 2004 | 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover | Owen McCabe | |
| 2005 | Elizabethtown | Jesse Baylor | |
| 2005 | The Family Stone | Brad Stevenson | |
| 2006 | Live Free or Die | Jeff Lagrand | |
| 2007 | The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford | Dick Liddil | |
| 2007 | Lars and the Real Girl | Gus | |
| 2008 | Pretty Bird | Beach Dog Jogger | Also writer, director |
| 2009 | Bright Star | Charles Armitage Brown | |
| 2009 | Away We Go | Courtney Farlander | |
| 2011 | Water for Elephants | Charlie O'Brien | |
| 2011 | Beloved | Henderson | |
| 2012 | The Flowers of War | Terry | |
| 2012 | The Babymakers | Tommy Macklin | |
| 2013 | Hello Carter | Aaron | |
| 2014 | Goodbye to All That | Otto Wall | |
| 2014 | Black Eyed Dog | | |
| 2014 | Straight Men/Same Bed | | Short film Writer, director, producer |
| 2015 | The Daughter | Christian | |
| 2016 | Café Society | Steve | |
| 2016 | Rules Don't Apply | Richard Miskin | |
| 2020 | Brothers by Blood | Jimmy | |
| 2021 | A House on the Bayou | John Chambers | |
| 2022 | Abandoned | Dr. Carver | |
| 2022 | American Murderer | David Brown | |
| 2025 | Train Dreams | Apostle Frank | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2003 | Third Watch | Thomas Warner | Guest role; 3 episodes |
| 2008 | Drunk History Vol. 4 | William Henry Harrison | 1 episode |
| 2009–2010 | Parks and Recreation | Mark Brendanawicz | Main role (seasons 1–2); 30 episodes |
| 2012 | The Newsroom | Brian Brenner | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2014 | The Divide | Clark Rylance | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2016 | The Tunnel | Artem Baturin | Guest role; 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Channel Zero: Candle Cove | Mike Painter | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Chance | Ryan Winter | Main role (season 2); 9 episodes |
| 2018 | The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story | Paul Beck | Episode: "Ascent" |
| 2020 | Tales from the Loop | George | 6 episodes |
| 2020 | NOS4A2 | Jonathan "The Hourglass" Beckett | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | A Friend of the Family | Marty | Episode: "Revelation" |
| 2023 | Law & Order | Daniel Strawn | Episode: "Bias" |
| 2023 | Florida Man | Officer Andy Boone | Recurring role |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2003 | Gotham Awards | Breakthrough Actor | All the Real Girls | Nominated |
| 2004 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Original Screenplay (shared with David Gordon Green) | All the Real Girls | Nominated |
| 2008 | Sundance Film Festival | Dramatic | Pretty Bird | Nominated |
| 2009 | Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Supporting Actor | Bright Star | Nominated |
| 2009 | Hollywood Film Awards | | | Won |
| 2009 | Indiewire Critics' Poll | Best Supporting Performance | Bright Star | Nominated |
| 2009 | San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Dramatic | Pretty Bird | Nominated |
| 2009 | Village Voice Film Poll | Best Supporting Actor | Bright Star | Nominated |
| 2010 | National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA | Best Supporting Actor | Bright Star | Won |
| 2012 | RiverRun International Film Festival | | | Won |
| 2014 | Tribeca Film Festival | Best Actor in a Narrative Feature | Goodbye to All That | Won |
| 2017 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best TV Actor | Channel Zero: Candle Cove | Nominated |