Paul Lieberstein

Paul Lieberstein is an Emmy Award-winning American screenwriter, actor, producer, and director known for his work in television comedy, screenwriting, and production. Lieberstein is recognized as a writer, executive producer, and supporting cast member on "The Office," where he played the role of Toby Flenderson. Before entering the television industry, Lieberstein transitioned from corporate life to pursue television writing in Los Angeles. His first job in entertainment was as a writer on "Clarissa Explains It All," a position he secured based on a spec script for "The Simpsons" that he co-wrote. He subsequently worked in writers' rooms for "Weird Science" and "The Naked Truth" before joining the staff of "King of the Hill."

Lieberstein earned his first Emmy Award for writing and producing the animated series "King of the Hill." The show received multiple Emmy nominations and was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time. This success led to his involvement with the American adaptation of "The Office," based on the British series created by Ricky Gervais. During the show's initial casting, Lieberstein read lines with auditioning actors and was ultimately cast as Toby Flenderson, the human resources director.

Lieberstein's contributions to "The Office" included serving as showrunner for several seasons. He won a second Emmy Award and two Writers Guild Awards for his work on the series, and co-won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Broadband Program – Comedy for producing "The Office: The Accountants," a series of webisodes. As an actor, Lieberstein shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Beyond "The Office," Lieberstein has directed episodes of "The Mindy Project," HBO's "The Newsroom," and the Netflix series "Space Force," where he also served as executive producer. He has worked as writer, director, and showrunner on the AMC series "Lucky Hank." Lieberstein wrote, directed, and starred in the dark comedy film "Song of Back and Neck," which was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival and drew on his personal experiences with chronic pain. He also wrote and directed the film "Out of Office," featuring Ken Jeong, Leslie Jones, and Jay Pharoah. Lieberstein's career encompasses television, film, and live performance, with a focus on comedy, storytelling, and creative leadership in the entertainment industry.