Actor Files: Paul Giamatti

Mr. Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (no, I'm not making that up) has fast carved out quite a career for himself. This being despite not looking remotely like your typical "Hollywood Leading Man", in fact, quite the opposite. However, this just makes his rise to the top all the sweeter - the fact that a man who could quite easily pass as a child molester carries films on his back with consummate ease - and it's all because he is such a great actor.

"Growing up I didn't know where I was headed, except to the grave or maybe to the gutter. I went through wanting to do a lot of things, but acting wasn't one of them. I didn't really know what I was going to do until after my father died. Going into acting was as much a surprise to me as to anyone else, and I was even more surprised to find that I could make a living doing it"

His career started playing memorable supporting roles in films such as "Private Parts", "Donnie Brasco" (when I first became aware of him) and "Saving Private Ryan". His first major role came with a little known film called "American Splendor" which is based on the comic book of the same name - about a man who does pretty much nothing. His performance is nothing short of brilliant, despite the shortcomings of the film itself, and I thought to myself for the first time "I want to be that man".

Proving he could play the lead role, then came his breakout role in 2004's "Sideways". Easily one of my favourite films of all time and a performance that inspired me in more ways than you could imagine. Just seeing a real bloke going through life's shit-house up on screen was an absolute treat and it continues to inspire just about everything I do today, for whatever that's worth.

"It'd be disingenuous to say I don't like attention - I'm an actor for God's sake - and it's flattering and all, but attention was never my big goal. I just like to work and have a good time. This whole business feels kind of intense, like a bad fit. Round peg, square hole. But whatever, I'll take it."

After Sideways, the offers came rolling in. "Cinderella Man", "The Illusionist" etc. However, now Giamatti is one of the few actors ever to carve out a genre all to himself. In the past few years every film he's starred in seems to be the story of the hapless everyman who we want to root for, despite largely being a complete degenerate. "Cold Souls", "Barney's Version", the recent "Win Win" - he's got the market cornered - and I, for one, now make it a point to see everything he comes out with. The man is brilliant. Nuff said.

Long may his streak of excellence continue.

Big up!