# Paul Walter Hauser
**Paul Walter Hauser** (born 1986) is an American actor, producer, and writer from [Grand Rapids, Michigan](https://www.edgepedia.org/grand-rapids-michigan), best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of suspected serial killer Larry Hall in the Apple TV+ limited series *Black Bird* and for his title role as wrongly accused security guard [Richard Jewell](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-jewell) in [Clint Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-eastwood)'s 2019 film *Richard Jewell*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paul-walter-hauser/) • [2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/paul-walter-hauser/). Alongside his screen work he has built a parallel professional wrestling career with the promotion Major League Wrestling (MLW)[3](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/paul-walter-hauser-attached-to-play-mick-foley-in-tv-series/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986, Grand Rapids, Michigan[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paul-walter-hauser/) |
| Signature award sweep | 2023 Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice Award, all for Best Supporting Actor for *Black Bird*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/) |
| Breakthrough | National Board of Review Breakthrough Performance award for the title role in *Richard Jewell* (2019)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/) |
| Early career | Stand-up comedian from age 16, performing in Chicago clubs[2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/paul-walter-hauser/) |
| Wrestling career | Competes on the independent circuit and for MLW; worked one match for Ring of Honor (ROH)[3](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/paul-walter-hauser-attached-to-play-mick-foley-in-tv-series/) |
| Voice roles | Embarrassment in *Inside Out 2* (2024) and the Dark in *Orion and the Dark* (2024)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_walter_hauser) |
## Early career and supporting roles
Hauser, then 16, started doing stand-up in Chicago and mined his family history for material, since generations of his relatives, stretching from his brother and father back through his grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, served as Lutheran ministers[2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/paul-walter-hauser/). His film debut came in [Dustin Lance Black](https://www.edgepedia.org/dustin-lance-black)'s *Virginia* (2010)[6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/paul-walter-hauser/57604/), and for roughly a decade he accumulated television guest spots and small film parts in series such as *Community*, *Reno 911!*, and *Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt*[7](https://www.martincid.com/people/paul-walter-hauser/).
**Scene-stealing supporting parts.** Hauser's profile rose through supporting roles as Shawn Eckhardt in [Craig Gillespie](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-gillespie)'s *I, Tonya* (2017), opposite [Margot Robbie](https://www.edgepedia.org/margot-robbie), Sebastian Stan, and [Allison Janney](https://www.edgepedia.org/allison-janney), and as Ivanhoe in Spike Lee's *BlacKkKlansman* (2018)[8](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser). He followed these with parts in *Late Night*, *Da 5 Bloods*, *Cruella*, and *Queenpins*[2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/paul-walter-hauser/). His fan-favorite recurring role as Raymond, nicknamed "Stingray", in Netflix's *Cobra Kai* began in 2019[8](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser).
## Breakthrough and awards
In 2019 Hauser played the title character in Clint Eastwood's *Richard Jewel*l for Warner Bros., leading a cast that included [Sam Rockwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-rockwell), Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, and [Olivia Wilde](https://www.edgepedia.org/olivia-wilde). The [National Board of Review](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-board-of-review) gave him its Breakthrough Performance award[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/) • [8](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser).
The 2022 Apple TV+ limited series *Black Bird*, Dennis Lehane's adaptation of James Keene's memoir, made Hauser an award fixture. Playing the suspected serial killer Larry Hall opposite [Taron Egerton](https://www.edgepedia.org/taron-egerton), he won the 2023 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, and the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/). He also received a 2023 Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for the same performance[9](https://music.wmeagency.com/Music/paulwalterhauser).
## Ubiquity in 2024 and 2025
Hauser's output in the mid-2020s concentrated his supporting-player model into a busy stretch. In 2024 he voiced [Embarrassment](https://www.edgepedia.org/embarrassment) in Pixar's *Inside Out 2* and the Dark in Netflix's *Orion and the Dark*, and appeared in *The Instigators* and *The Luckiest Man in America*[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_walter_hauser). In 2025 he joined the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe) as Harvey Elder, the Mole Man, in *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, co-starred as Ed Hocken Jr. opposite [Liam Neeson](https://www.edgepedia.org/liam-neeson) in *The Naked Gun*, and played Bruce Springsteen's longtime guitar tech Mike Batlan in the 20th Century biopic *Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere*[8](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_walter_hauser). He also led Tony Tost's western *Americana* opposite Sydney Sweeney and Halsey[8](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser).
**Volume through short shoots.** Hauser has described this apparent ubiquity as a matter of brief engagements rather than constant lead work. By his own account, *Fantastic Four* took five or six shooting days, *Deliver Me from Nowhere* about 12, *Naked Gun* roughly 18 to 22, and *Americana* about 16, adding up to about 50 shooting days in a year across four films[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/marvel-cinematic-universe/pedro-pascal-everything-say-same-fantastic-four-co-star-paul-walter-hauser). He has said the "character actor" label gives him a competitive drive to move beyond comic-relief and oddball parts and to work opposite lead actors rather than serve as a garnish to them[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/marvel-cinematic-universe/pedro-pascal-everything-say-same-fantastic-four-co-star-paul-walter-hauser).
## Biopic projects
Two biography roles have shaped his recent career planning. He is attached to portray the late *Saturday Night Live* comedian [Chris Farley](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-farley) in New Line Cinema's *The Chris Farley Show*; the project was acquired by New Line in April 2024, and as of April 2026 Hauser remained attached, with filming and a release date unconfirmed[9](https://music.wmeagency.com/Music/paulwalterhauser) • [11](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/chris-farley-biopic-paul-walter-hauser-remains-attached-to-josh-gad-film/). In February 2026 he announced that he is officially attached to play WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley in a planned limited series that had not yet been sold to a network; Hauser and Foley had discussed the project for years, and Hauser has said the goal is to tell the whole of Foley's story, not just his Mankind wrestling persona[3](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/paul-walter-hauser-attached-to-play-mick-foley-in-tv-series/) • [12](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1619892-paul-walter-hauser-mick-foley-biopic-wwe).
## Professional wrestling
Hauser has turned his long-standing wrestling fandom into a second career. He competes on the independent circuit and for Major League Wrestling, and worked one match for Ring of Honor[3](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/paul-walter-hauser-attached-to-play-mick-foley-in-tv-series/). He declared for MLW's 40-man Battle Riot match at Battle Riot VI in Atlanta on June 1, 2024[13](https://apnews.com/article/07dbee0e49c9a86bf35eff17bb35502d). In June 2026 he said he was still actively wrestling but on hiatus to shoot two movies and a television show, noting that MLW had not run shows in New England[14](https://www.ringsidenews.com/paul-walter-hauser-explains-why-hes-away-wrestling/).
His stated ambitions pair the two careers. "The dream is to go win an Oscar for writing or acting in a film and the next night, I'm in front of 2,000 people in an independent show," he told The Associated Press in 2024[13](https://apnews.com/article/07dbee0e49c9a86bf35eff17bb35502d).
## Later work and upcoming projects
Hauser's 2026 slate includes Zach Cregger's *Resident Evil* for Sony, in which he plays a character named Paul, *Balls Up* with Mark Wahlberg, in which he plays Elijah, a voice role in *King of the Hill*, and *The Chosen Adventures* (2025)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_walter_hauser) • [15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/?nmdp=1). Projects in post-production or earlier stages include *Scooby-Doo: Origins*, *Turpentine*, *Tommy Karate* (as DEA Agent Jim Hunt), *The Very Best People*, *Deep Eddy*, and *The Official Mistress*, in which he plays King Louis XVI[15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/?nmdp=1). He received a 2025 Children's and Family Emmy nomination for Outstanding Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program for *Orion and the Dark*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/).
## References
1. [Paul Walter Hauser, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paul-walter-hauser/)
2. [Paul Walter Hauser, Golden Globes Awards Database](https://goldenglobes.com/person/paul-walter-hauser/)
3. [Paul Walter Hauser attached to play Mick Foley in TV series, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/paul-walter-hauser-attached-to-play-mick-foley-in-tv-series/)
4. [Paul Walter Hauser - Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/awards/)
5. [Paul Walter Hauser Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_walter_hauser)
6. [Paul Walter Hauser Biography & Movies, Tribute.ca](https://www.tribute.ca/people/paul-walter-hauser/57604/)
7. [Paul Walter Hauser: the case against writing someone off, Martin Cid Magazine](https://www.martincid.com/people/paul-walter-hauser/)
8. [Paul Walter Hauser, Arkansas Cinema Society](https://www.arkansascinemasociety.org/people/paul-walter-hauser)
9. [Paul Walter Hauser, WME](https://music.wmeagency.com/Music/paulwalterhauser)
10. [Paul Walter Hauser on ubiquity and the character-actor label, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/marvel-cinematic-universe/pedro-pascal-everything-say-same-fantastic-four-co-star-paul-walter-hauser)
11. [Chris Farley Biopic Update: Hauser, Josh Gad and Filming Status, DocumentaryTube](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/chris-farley-biopic-paul-walter-hauser-remains-attached-to-josh-gad-film/)
12. [Paul Walter Hauser To Star In WWE Legend Mick Foley Biopic, Wrestlezone](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1619892-paul-walter-hauser-mick-foley-biopic-wwe)
13. [From acting to the squared circle, Emmy winner Hauser is ready to rumble for Major League Wrestling, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/07dbee0e49c9a86bf35eff17bb35502d)
14. [Paul Walter Hauser Explains Why He's Been Away From Wrestling, Ringside News](https://www.ringsidenews.com/paul-walter-hauser-explains-why-hes-away-wrestling/)
15. [Paul Walter Hauser, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3236159/?nmdp=1)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames H to Ha*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license