[[quoteright:290:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/paul_giamatti.jpg]]

->''"A man known as an 'actor’s actor', 'a devoted craftsman', and, of course, as 'the guy who was good in that thing you really liked'."''
-->--'''Creator/StephenColbert''' right before giving Giamatti his own wax statue (which is really [[spoiler:just a statue of UsefulNotes/ZacharyTaylor [[PaperThinDisguise wearing a cardboard Giamatti mask]]]]), ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert''

Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (born June 6, 1967 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American actor best known for ''Film/{{Sideways}}'', ''Series/JohnAdams'', ''ComicBook/AmericanSplendor'', and a slew of roles in other films. His brother Creator/MarcusGiamatti is also an actor, and was a regular on ''Series/JudgingAmy''. Their father, Angelo Bartlett "Bart" Giamatti, was the president of [[UsefulNotes/IvyLeague Yale University]] from 1978 to 1986 and became commissioner of UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball about five months before dying in 1989; his death came only eight days after he permanently banned Pete Rose from MLB for having gambled on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.

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!!This actor provides examples of the following tropes:

* TheDanza:
** Played a character named Paul Giamatti in ''Film/ColdSouls''.
** His character in ''Film/TheHoldovers'' is named Paul Hunham, but is primarily referred to by his last name to avoid this trope being too prevalent.
* DeadpanSnarker: His characters always have a dry remark and withering insult at the ready.
* LargeHam: Has a tendency to play one of these. See ''Series/JohnAdams'', ''Film/ShootEmUp'' and ''Film/{{Ironclad}}'' for just three examples.
* TheNapoleon: He's of average height (5'9") but has been made to look shorter and bent in several roles, especially the less heroic ones.

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!! Partial filmography:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Film roles]]
* ''Film/{{Singles}}'' (1992)
* ''Film/MightyAphrodite'' (1995)
* ''Film/{{Sabrina|1995}}'' (1995)
* ''Film/DonnieBrasco'' (1997)
* ''Literature/PrivateParts'' (1997)
* ''Film/MyBestFriendsWedding'' (1997)
* ''Film/DeconstructingHarry'' (1997)
* ''Film/TheTrumanShow'' (1998)
* ''Film/DrDolittle'' (1998)
* ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' (1998)
* ''Film/TheNegotiator'' (1998)
* ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' (1999)
* ''Film/IfTheseWallsCouldTalk2'' (2000)
* ''Film/BigMommasHouse'' (2000)
* ''Film/{{Duets}}'' (2000)
* ''Film/{{Storytelling}}'' (2001)
* ''Film/{{Planet of the Apes|2001}}'' (2001)
* ''Film/BigFatLiar'' (2002)
* ''Film/{{Thunderpants}}'' (2002)
* ''Film/{{Confidence}}'' (2003)
* ''ComicBook/AmericanSplendor'' (2003)
* ''Film/{{Paycheck}}'' (2003)
* ''Film/{{Sideways}}'' (2004)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Robots}}'' (2005) (voice)
* ''Film/CinderellaMan'' (2005)
* ''Film/{{The Illusionist|2006}}'' (2006)
* ''Film/LadyInTheWater'' (2006)
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAntBully'' (2006) (voice)
* ''Film/ShootEmUp'' (2007)
* ''Film/TheNannyDiaries'' (2007)
* ''Film/FredClaus'' (2007)
* ''Film/{{Duplicity}}'' (2009)
* ''Film/ColdSouls'' (2009)
* ''Film/BarneysVersion'' (2010)
* ''Film/WinWin'' (2011)
* ''Film/{{Ironclad}}'' (2011)
* ''Film/TheHangover Part II'' (2011)
* ''Film/TooBigToFail'' (2011)
* ''Film/TheIdesOfMarch'' (2011)
* ''Film/JohnDiesAtTheEnd'' (2012)
* ''Film/{{Cosmopolis}}'' (2012)
* ''Film/RockOfAges'' (2012)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Turbo}}'' (2013) (voice)
* ''Film/TheCongress'' (2013)
* ''Film/TwelveYearsASlave'' (2013)
* ''Film/{{Parkland}}'' (2013)
* ''Film/RomeoAndJuliet2013'' (2013)
* ''Film/SavingMrBanks'' (2013)
* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'' (2014)
* ''Literature/MadameBovary'' (2014)
* ''Film/LoveAndMercy'' (2014)
* ''Film/SanAndreas'' (2015)
* ''WesternAnimation/AprilAndTheExtraordinaryWorld'' (2015) (voice, English dub)
* ''Film/StraightOuttaCompton'' (2015)
* ''WesternAnimation/RatchetAndClank'' (2016) (voice)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Prince|2015}}'' (2015) (voice)
* ''Film/{{Morgan}}'' (2016)
* ''Film/TheCatcherWasASpy'' (2018)
* ''Film/IThinkWereAloneNow'' (2018)
* ''Film/GunpowderMilkshake'' (2021)
* ''Film/JungleCruise'' (2021)
* ''Film/TheHoldovers'' (2023)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Television roles]]
* ''Series/NYPDBlue'' (1 episode, 1994)
* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' (1 episode, 1998)
* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' (1 episode, 2001) (voice)
* ''Series/JohnAdams'' (2008)
* ''Series/ThirtyRock'' (1 episode, 2010)
* ''Series/DowntonAbbey'' (1 episode, 2013)
* ''Series/InsideAmySchumer'' (2 episodes, 2014–15)
* ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' (1 episode, 2017) (voice)
* ''Series/{{Billions}}'' (2016–)
* ''Series/Lodge49'' (2019)
* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' (1 episode, 2020) (voice)
* ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth'' (1 episode, 2020) (voice)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video game roles]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}'' (1996)
[[/folder]]

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