Paul Schneider (actor)

American film actor

Paul Andrew Schneider (born March 16, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Mark Brendanawicz on the first two seasons of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation and Dick Liddil in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He won a Best Actor in a Narrative Feature award at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival for his performance in Goodbye to All That and the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Society of Film Critics for his performance as Charles Armitage Brown in Bright Star.

Schneider was born in Oakland, California, and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

In 2000, Schneider made his film debut in David Gordon Green's George Washington and starred in Green's All the Real Girls. As research for his role as Jesse Baylor in Elizabethtown, director Cameron Crowe suggested that Schneider tour with the band My Morning Jacket for five days. Schneider accompanied the band to concerts held in such locations as Irving Plaza, the Webster Theater, the Theater of the Living Arts, and Stone Pony Landing. After Elizabethtown, Schneider had supporting roles in The Family Stone and Live Free or Die. In 2007, he portrayed Gus Lindstrom in Lars and the Real Girl and Dick Liddil in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. In 2008, he made his directorial debut with the independent film Pretty Bird. Also in 2008, Schneider played President William Henry Harrison in an episode of the Comedy Central series Drunk History Vol. 4. In 2009, Schneider appeared as Charles Armitage Brown in Bright Star, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Society of Film Critics. The award was shared with Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. He portrayed Courtney Farlander in Away We Go. Quoting an April 2014 interview with ScreenCrush: text=That experience was very strange for me. You know, I signed up for a specific character that was changed in mid season. And it became a character with a lot less to do. And, all of a sudden, I was kind of confused and kind of having a lot less to do. In 2018, Schneider made his Broadway debut in Young Jean Lee's play Straight White Men as Matt. Schneider's performance earned praise, with The New York Times critic Jesse Green singling him out as one of the highlights of the production.

On April 16, 2016, Schneider married Theresa Avila, an occupational therapist and co founder of The World Lens Foundation, of which Schneider is a board member. The two have a daughter. Schneider is an Innocence Project Ambassador.

Year Title Role Notes 2003 Third Watch Thomas Warner Guest role; 3 episodes 2008 Drunk History Vol. 4 William Henry Harrison 1 episode 2009–2010 Parks and Recreation Mark Brendanawicz Main role (seasons 1–2); 30 episodes 2012 The Newsroom Brian Brenner Guest role; 2 episodes 2014 The Divide Clark Rylance Main role; 6 episodes 2016 The Tunnel Artem Baturin Guest role; 4 episodes 2016 Channel Zero: Candle Cove Mike Painter Main role; 6 episodes 2017 Chance Ryan Winter Main role (season 2); 9 episodes 2018 The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Paul Beck Episode: "Ascent" 2020 Tales from the Loop George 6 episodes 2020 NOS4A2 Jonathan "The Hourglass" Beckett 3 episodes 2022 A Friend of the Family Marty Episode: "Revelation" 2023 Florida Man Officer Andy Boone Recurring role