Paul Sparks Quick Info
Height6 ft 1 in
Weight75 kg
Date of BirthOctober 16, 1971
Zodiac SignLibra
SpouseAnnie Parisse

Paul Sparks is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and TV shows. He is well-known for portraying the characters of Mickey Doyle in HBO’s period drama series Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014), and Thomas Yates in Netflix’s political drama series House of Cards (2015-2018). Paul has also been a regular feature in theatre productions and has earned several nominations for his work in dramatic plays.

Born Name

Paul W. Sparks

Nick Name

Paul

Sun Sign

Libra

Born Place

Lawton, Oklahoma, United States

Residence

Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Nationality

American

Education

Paul attended the Marlow High School in Oklahoma and graduated in 1990. He earned a scholarship and chose to study chemistry at Oklahoma State University. However, he was interested in acting and got himself a transfer to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied drama and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995.

Occupation

Actor

Family

  • Father – Michael “Mike” Sparks (High School Football Coach)
  • Mother – Jane Sparks (née Ellis) (Elementary School Teacher)
  • Others – Jon Bielich (Cousin) (Stuntman, Actor), Louis G. “Lou” Cancelmi (Father-in-Law) (Airline Executive), Annette Cancelmi (Mother-in-Law) (Teacher), Louis Cancelmi (Brother-in-Law) (Actor, Writer), Michael Cancelmi (Brother-in-Law) (Italian Teacher), Elisabeth Waterston (Sister-in-Law) (Actress), Katherine Waterston (Sister-in-Law) (Actress), Graham Waterston (Brother-in-Law) (Writer, Filmmaker), Norbert A. Cancelmi (Uncle-in-Law), Harry J. Cancelmi, Jr. (Uncle-in-Law) (Defense Attorney)

Build

Slim

Height

6 ft 1 in or 185.5 cm

Weight

75 kg or 165.5 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Paul has dated –

  • Annie Parisse (2005–Present) – Paul first met fellow actor Annie Parisse in 2005 and they got married the same year. They have 2 children together – a son named Emmett (b. 2009) and a daughter named Lydia (b. 2014).

    • Race / Ethnicity

    White

    He is of English descent.

    Hair Color

    Light Brown

    Eye Color

    Blue

    Sexual Orientation

    Straight

    Distinctive Features

    • Rugged Beard
    • Slender frame
    • Strong jawline
    • Quiff hairstyle
    • Deep, husky voice

    Paul Sparks Favorite Things

    • Food – Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
    • Fruit – Banana
    • Watch Brand – Garmin
    • Footwear Brands – Asics, Mizuno
    • Rapper – Kanye West
    • Radio Program – This American Life on NPR
    • Radio Host – Ira Glass
    • Musician – Thom Yorke
    • Music Bands – Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel
    • Play – Blackbird (2004)
    • Movie Genre – Western
    • Junk Food – French Fries

    Source – YouTube, YouTube, YouTube, YouTube, Runner’s World

    Paul Sparks Facts

  • Paul’s father, Mike was a football coach at the same high school where Paul used to study. At his high school, Paul was a member of the Marlow Outlaw Speech Team (M.O.S.T.).
  • Paul is afflicted with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and frequently works with the nonprofit organization, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation which funds Type 1 Diabetes research and advocates for governmental regulation favorable to medical research.
  • He is a close friend of actor Michael Shannon and a frequent collaborator. They have appeared together in films such as The Missing Person (2008), Mud (2012), and Midnight Special (2016).
  • For his work in theatre plays, Paul has been nominated for the “Outstanding Actor in a Play” award numerous time at the Drama Desk Awards for his work in Coyote on a Fence (2000), Blackbird (2004), Orange Flower Water (2005), Essential Self-Defense (2007), Dusk Rings a Bell (2010), and Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo (2018).
  • As part of the cast of HBO’s period drama series Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014), where he played the gangster Mickey Doyle, Paul won the “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series” award twice in 2010 and 2011 at the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Awards.
  • For portraying the role of Carver in the 2012 drama film Mud, he was part of the group (including Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Paulson, Tye Sheridan, and Reese Witherspoon) that was honored with the “Robert Altman Award” at the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The award is given to the ensemble cast, the director, and the casting director of the film.
  • Paul is a running enthusiast and uses it as a form of exercise to battle against his type 1 diabetes affliction. In an interview, he has stated that running has helped him reduce his dependence on insulin shots as he is completely reliant on external insulin due to type 1 diabetes. He has also run in a couple of half-marathons.

    • Featured Image by Paul Sparks / Instagram

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