Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti moved from stage into movies and TV in 1992 when he made his feature debut in the grunge-inspired film "Singles." He was soon landing larger roles in such movies as "Sabrina" and "Donnie Brasco," but his true breakout part was the role of (often enraged) media executive "Pig Vomit" in the Howard Stern biopic "Private Parts." As Stern’s nemesis, Giamatti played one of the livelier roles in recent memory, and the viewing audience embraced him wholeheartedly.

From this point, Paul Giamatti's acting plate became very full, with supporting roles in such high-profile films as "The Truman Show," "Saving Private Ryan," and "The Negotiator"— all released in 1998—and "Man on the Moon," in which he reunited with his Truman Show co-star Jim Carrey.

Starring roles in the HBO movies "If These Walls Could Talk 2" and "American Splendor" soon followed. Giamatti was nominated for several awards for "American Splendor," as he was for 2004’s "Sideways," a film that proved to be a second breakthrough role for him. He received his first Oscar nomination for the Russell Crowe feature "Cinderella Man" (for which Giamatti won nine other awards).

With his career in full swing, Giamatti could choose any role he wanted, and his choices over the next few years were as diverse as his previous roles. He appeared in the animated "Ant Bully," the comedy "Fred Claus," the fantasy "Lady in the Water" and the heady drama "The Hawk Is Dying."

Setting the bar high once again, Giamatti took the lead in the seven-part HBO miniseries "John Adams" in 2008, for which he won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and a Television Critics Association Award. "Barney’s Version" and "Too Big to Fail" would also mean awards gold for Giamatti, as between the two he would walk away with another Golden Globe and another SAG Award.

As the new century evolved, so did Giamatti’s career, and his diverse roles no longer came as such a surprise. In films as varied as "Win-Win," "The Hangover Part II" and "Rock of Ages," Giamatti continued to draw from deep within to build one stellar performance after the next, and his career shows no signs of slowing down.

In June 2013, Giamatti was announced as the newest cast member of PBS' popular series "Downton Abbey." On the big screen, he appeared in Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave," based on a real life experience of a Northern free black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Giamatti also portrayed Abraham Zapruder, a businessman who filmed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, in "Parkland" that same year.