[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/paulbettany.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[Series/WandaVision What is acting, if not imagination persevering?]]]]

->''"The trouble with talking about acting is that it's like sex. It's enormously fun to do but just dreadfully embarrassing when you have to talk about it."''

Paul Bettany (born 27 May 1971 in Harlesden, London) is an English-American actor.

He had his [[StarMakingRole breakout role]] as a naked Creator/GeoffreyChaucer in ''Film/AKnightsTale'', which is probably saying something, and has since starred in a wide variety of movies where he usually steals all the scenes he's in.

He's married to actress Creator/JenniferConnelly. Their son Stellan is named after Bettany's longtime friend and fellow actor Creator/StellanSkarsgard, and they also have a daughter, Agnes.
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!!Some of his roles include:
* ''Series/{{Sharpe}}'' (1997) as the Prince of Orange
* ''Film/GangsterNo1'' (2000) as the Gangster
* ''Film/AKnightsTale'' (2001) as Creator/GeoffreyChaucer
* ''Film/ABeautifulMind'' (2001) as Charles Herman, alongside Russell Crowe
* ''Film/MasterAndCommander'' (2003) as Dr. Stephen Maturin, also alongside Russell Crowe
* ''Film/{{Wimbledon}}'' (2004) as Peter Colt
* ''Film/TheDaVinciCode'' (2006) as Silas
* ''Film/{{Firewall}}'' (2006) as Bill Cox
* ''Literature/{{Inkheart}}'' (2008) as Dustfinger
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse in dual roles as:
** The voice of J.A.R.V.I.S.:
*** ''Film/IronMan1'' (2008)
*** ''Film/IronMan2'' (2010)
*** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' (2012)
*** ''Film/IronMan3'' (2013)
*** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' (2015)
*** ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'' (2021)[[note]]Episode 6, "[[Recap/WhatIfS1E6WhatIfKillmongerRescuedTonyStark What If...Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?]]"[[/note]]
** ComicBook/TheVision:
*** ''Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015)
*** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' (2016)
*** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' (2018)
*** ''Series/WandaVision'' (2021)
*** ''What If...?'' (2021)[[note]]Episode 5, "[[Recap/WhatIfS1E5WhatIfZombies What If...Zombies?!]]"[[/note]]
* ''Film/{{Creation}}'' (2009) as UsefulNotes/CharlesDarwin
* ''Film/TheYoungVictoria'' (2009) as UsefulNotes/ViscountMelbourne
* ''Film/{{Legion}}'' (2010) as Main/ArchangelMichael
* ''Film/TheTourist'' (2010) as Inspector John Acheson
* ''Film/MarginCall'' (2011) as Will Emerson
* ''Film/{{Priest|2011}}'' (2011) as Priest
* ''Series/ManhuntUnabomber'' (2017) as Ted Kaczynski
* ''Franchise/StarWars:'' ''Film/{{Solo}}'' (2018) as Dryden Vos
* ''Film/UncleFrank'' (2020) as the titular Frank

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!!Examples concerning this actor:
* AwesomeDearBoy:
** Bettany states he does all his action films like ''Legion'' and ''Priest'' because he enjoys them just as much as the dramatic, artsy films.
** He started seeing his role in the MCU as this after he transitioned from voicing J.A.R.V.I.S. in a recording studio to playing his successor Vision on set with all the other actors in the franchise.
* DyeingForYourArt:
** Went to the gym for six months while filming ''Legion''. He hated it.
** He spent several months learning how to play tennis for ''Wimbledon'' and notes on the DVDCommentary how painful it was.
** His hair was dyed brunette for ''Film/MasterAndCommander''.
** Vision forces him to go through hours of make-up, not to mention a padded and hot costume.
* CreatorBacklash: Actively discourages anybody from trying to watch ''Dead Babies''.
* IronyAsHeIsCast: He's spoken about how people assume he's a very educated and learned man due to his posh accent. He's not. In truth, he's a high-school drop-out who went into acting and is just usually typecast as an intelligent man (such as The Vision). When giving interviews, he demonstrates he's rather informal, blunt, plain-spoken, and open to casual usage of profanity.
* MoneyDearBoy: He admits that his performances as J.A.R.V.I.S. are mainly for this, and he doesn't even watch the movies. [[http://www.superherohype.com/news/310617-comic-con-interview-paul-bettany-on-playing-the-vision-in-avengers-age-of-ultron#/slide/1 Playing Vision, however, got him more excited]], as it was a more complex challenge than voice acting.
-->"I used to be in a studio for 45 minutes and do J.A.R.V.I.S. and get a huge bag of cash and go my way like a burglar, and now they want me to work for my money. Which is great and sweaty and hot, which you’ll realize once they unveil everything. It’s really f***ing cool. It’s great to join this train which is on really clear tracks."
* MrFanservice: His directors seem well aware of his appeal.
* PromotedFanboy: And how! When Creator/RonHoward took over ''Film/{{Solo}}'', Bettany sent him an [[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-solo-star-wars-paul-bettany-dryden-vos-20180524-story.html offhand text]], saying "Hey, Ron, have you ever spent long winter evenings like I have wondering why you're not in the ''Star Wars'' franchise?" Two weeks later, he was cast as Dryden Vos.[[note]]Creator/MichaelKWilliams was originally cast in the role, but the delays of its TroubledProduction forced him to step out, with Bettany chosen to replace him due to already being under contract with Disney as J.A.R.V.I.S.[=/=]Vision.[[/note]]
* RomanceOnTheSet: He met Creator/JenniferConnelly while filming ''Film/ABeautifulMind''. They later acted together as husband and wife in ''Creation'', and Connelly had a short cameo as Dustfinger's girlfriend/soon-to-be-wife in ''Inkheart''.
* ThoseTwoActors:
** With Russell Crowe in ''A Beautiful Mind'' and ''Master and Commander''.
** And with Jennifer Connelly (see above).
** Also with Creator/StellanSkarsgard in ''Film/{{Dogville}}'', ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', and ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''.
** Also, also with Creator/JonFavreau in the the ''Film/IronMan'' films and ''Film/{{Solo}}'', as well as ''Film/{{Wimbledon}}''.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He was Creator/ChristopherNolan's second choice for the role of the [[Comicbook/TheJoker Joker]] in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' before the casting of Creator/HeathLedger.

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