Paul Rivers

Paul Rivers is a fictional character appearing in the 2003 film 21 Grams, from which he serves as the protagonist. He is portrayed by Sean Penn.
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== Biography ==
He is a mathematics professor who, despite growing up smoking, drinking, and taking poor care of his body, he went to college and became a successful mathematics professor.
Paul has a terminal heart condition and is expected to die within a month unless he can get a heart transplant. He has lost hope and resigned himself to his fate. His wife Mary, who constantly argue/fight, wants him to freeze his sperm so that she can have his child after he dies, but Paul resists this idea, saying it's like trying to fix something that's already been irreparably damaged.
Paul's only chance to survive his illness is to receive a heart transplant from a healthy person who has died and agreed to donate their organs. Paul is high on the list to receive a transplant, but his survival depends on finding a suitable donor. However, this "luck" would come at the expense of someone else's death and the suffering of their family.
== Personality ==
As he faces his imminent death, Paul becomes self-reflective and grateful for whatever he can get. He turns to his vices in an effort to at least have some control over how he will die.
==Appearances==
*21 Grams (2003)
Category:Characters
Category:Male characters
Category:21 Grams characters
Category:Characters portrayed by Sean Penn