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Paul Schneider

Paul Schneider

Actor, also writer and director · Born March 16, 1976 (50) · Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Sundance award nominee

Paul Andrew Schneider (born March 16, 1976) is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Dick Liddil in the epic western film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) and his lead role as Mark Brendanawicz on the first and second seasons of the NBC political satirical sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–10). He also appeared in lead roles in the romantic drama film All the Real Girls (2003) and the comedy film The Babymakers (2012), the former of which he co-wrote with David Gordon Green and was nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer. He has since appeared in supporting roles in films such as Elizabethtown (2005), Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Away We Go (2009), Water for Elephants (2011), Hello Carter (2013), Rules Don't Apply (2016), Brothers by Blood (2020), and American Murderer (2022). For his portrayal of Charles Armitage Brown in the biographical romantic drama film Bright Star (2009), Schneider won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also awarded Best Actor in a Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival for his performance in the romantic comedy drama film Goodbye to All That (2014).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 16, 1976 (50)
From
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer and director
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Up 49% in 30 days

What are Paul Schneider's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Self
27%
Morality
11%
Survival
11%
Society
9%
Ideas
4%
Power
3%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 12 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 8

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 12 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 12
Ally
3 of 12
Trickster
1 of 12
Threshold guardian
1 of 12
Shadow
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
14
Romantic
6
Contemplative
6
Bittersweet
7
Other
20

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paul Schneider's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Schneider's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

47 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page.

  • Cape Fear(2026)

    Show 4 episodes · as Detective Grayson Park

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Train Dreams(2025)

    as Apostle Frank

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Xeno(2025)

    as Chase

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Florida Man(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · as Andy Boone

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • American Murderer(2022)

    as David Brown

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • A Friend of the Family(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Marty

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Abandoned(2022)

    as Dr. Carver

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • A House on the Bayou(2021)

    as John Chambers

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Die Rettung der uns bekannten Welt(2021)

    as Bulli-Fahrer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Brothers by Blood(2020)

    as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Loop(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as George

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • The Righteous Gemstones(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • NOS4A2(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jonathan 'The Hourglass' Beckett

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Rules Don't Apply(2016)

    as Richard Miskin

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Chance(2016)

    Show 10 episodes · as Ryan Winter

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Channel Zero(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Mike Painter

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Café Society(2016)

    as Steve

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • American Crime Story(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Beck

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Daughter(2015)

    as Christian

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Goodbye to All That(2014)

    as Otto Wall

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Black Eyed Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • The Divide(2014)

    Show 8 episodes · as Clark Rylance

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Hello Carter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Aaron

  • The Babymakers(2012)

    as Tommy Macklin

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Newsroom(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Brian Brenner

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Flowers of War(2011)

    as Terry

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Beloved(2011)

    as Henderson

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Water for Elephants(2011)

    as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bright Star(2009)

    as Mr. Brown

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Away We Go(2009)

    as Courtney

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Parks and Recreation(2009)

    Show 30 episodes · as Mark Brendanawicz

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Pretty Bird(2008)

    Director · Writer · as Beach Dog Jogger (as Otto Peotomy)

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Lars and the Real Girl(2007)

    as Gus

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford(2007)

    as Dick Liddil

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Live Free or Die(2006)

    as Lagrand

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Family Stone(2005)

    as Brad Stevenson

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Elizabethtown(2005)

    as Jessie Baylor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover(2004)

    as Owen McCabe

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • All the Real Girls(2003)

    Story · as Paul

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Security, Colorado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Paul

  • George Washington(2000)

    as Rico Rice

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 3 episodes · as Warner

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Physical Pinball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Guy playing pool

  • Pleasant Grove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Bedford

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Daniel Strawn

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Crude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Pretty Ugly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Terry Aldridge

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles, 45 of them dated from 1990 to 2026; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

Water for Elephants (2011)

$117M worldwide

Highest rated

Train Dreams (2025)

Midcredits 95th

Film career

19902026

Peak 2006 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 10 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting47 of 47: 45 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score64thDirecting1 of 47: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting2 of 47: 0 only writing, 2 with another role

By decade

1990s4 · acting2000s13 · 13 acting · 2 crew2010s17 · acting2020s11 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 17% of 23 roles
001015

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Sundance award in 2008, Dramatic.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Paul Schneider's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 26; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Die Rettung der uns bekannten Welt (2021)

72nd percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Parks and Recreation (2009)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Paul Schneider's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles3–73 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles19–56 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles24–55 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles25–56 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles19–60 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Paul Schneider work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Schneider's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Anna Camp shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles