Paul Andrew Schneider (born March 16, 1976) is an American film actor. Schneider portrayed Mark Brendanawicz on the first two seasons of Parks and Recreation. He won a Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Society of Film Critics for his performance in Bright Star.
Schneider was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He made his cinematic debut in 2000 in the independent film George Washington, directed by David Gordon Green, and later starred in 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 beginning June 1, 2004. 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.
Following Elizabethtown, Schneider received more supporting roles in The Family Stone and Live Free or Die. In 2007, Schneider, again as a supporting actor, portrayed Gus Lindstrom in Lars and the Real Girl and Dick Liddil in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Schneider was subsequently named one of the "Ten Actors to Watch" by Variety.
In 2008, he made his directorial debut with the independent film Pretty Bird.[6] Also in 2008, Schneider played the 9th President, William Henry Harrison, in a short parody miniseries directed by Derek Waters called Drunk History Vol. 4.
In 2009 Schneider appeared as Charles Armitage Brown in the Keats film Bright Star, directed by Jane Campion, 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. Schneider portrayed Courtney Farlander in Away We Go, directed by Sam Mendes.
He starred in the NBC series Parks and Recreation as Mark Brendanawicz from 2009 to 2010. Despite the show being renewed, his character did not return for the third season.
Filmography Paul Schneider
January 2010
Bright Star
Drama, Romantic Directed by: Jane CampionWith: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Thomas Sangster,...The drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats' untimely death at age 25.
February 2008
Lars and the Real Girl
Comedy Directed by: Craig GillespieWith: Ryan Gosling, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer,...The film is set in a Midwestern small town during a typically snowy winter. Lars Lindstrom (Gosling), an awkward young man, lives in the garage beside his deceased father's house. The main house is occupied by his recently returned brother, Gus (Paul Schneider), and pregnant sister-in-law, Karin (Em... Read more...
October 2007