# Peter Paul (actor)
**Peter Paul** (born 1957) is an American actor, producer, cinematographer, and professional bodybuilder who, together with his identical twin brother David, formed the screen duo known as the Barbarian Brothers. His best-known credits are the Cannon Films fantasy adventure *The Barbarians* (1987), in which he played Kutchek, and the early 1990s comedies *Think Big*, *Double Trouble*, and *Twin Sitters*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957, Hartford, Connecticut, USA; identical twin brother of actor David Paul[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) |
| Screen identity | One half of the Barbarian Brothers, a bodybuilding duo; both brothers were professional bodybuilders[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) |
| Film debut | *D.C. Cab* (1983), credited as Peter Barbarian, playing Buddy[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) |
| Signature role | Kutchek in *The Barbarians* (1987), a fantasy adventure produced by Cannon Films[2](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/5196/peter-paul/) |
| Two-picture deal | Think Big (1990) and Double Trouble (1992) for Motion Picture Corporation of America[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) |
| Final joint film | *Twin Sitters* (1994), which Peter also co-produced[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) |
| Later credits | *The White Horse Is Dead* (2004), *Souled Out* (2005), *Faith Street Corner Tavern* (2013, also cinematographer)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) |
## Early life and bodybuilding
Peter Paul and his identical twin brother David were born in [Hartford, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/hartford-connecticut), and grew up as competitive wrestlers and bodybuilders.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) In 1982 the pair appeared in the magazines *Powerlifting USA* and *Muscle & Fitness* and in an eight-page article in *Sports Illustrated*, and the brothers later credited that exposure with opening the door to Hollywood.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) Film lists for bodybuilders in the movies include the brothers among the genre's recurring muscle actors.[4](https://fitnessvolt.com/bodybuilders-in-the-movies/)
In a 1987 interview with the *Los Angeles Times*, the brothers said they were 29 years old, about 6 feet tall, and weighed well above 200 pounds, and David explained that much of their positive attitude came from being dyslexic. The pair also described their brand explicitly: "being big is a great comic gimmick," Peter said, adding that the brothers sometimes played dumb because people stereotyped very large men.[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-02-ca-4363-story.html)
## Screen career
**Early roles.** The brothers' film debut came in the 1983 comedy *D.C. Cab*, where they played muscular cab drivers alongside [Mr. T](https://www.edgepedia.org/mr-t); Peter is credited as Buddy, billed as Peter Barbarian.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) They followed it with small parts, including an uncredited turn as lifeguard Dirk in *The Flamingo Kid* (1984) and a 1984 guest appearance in the television series *Knight Rider* in the episode "Knight of the Drones," credited as the Barbarian Brothers in the role of Turk.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) They also appeared as themselves, billed as The Barbarians, in a 1985 episode of *Hollywood Beat*, and played the "Barbarian Brother" in the 1988 INXS music video "Devil Inside."[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/)
**The Barbarians (1987).** Peter's first starring role came in the fantasy film *The Barbarians*, produced by Cannon Films and directed by [Ruggero Deodato](https://www.edgepedia.org/ruggero-deodato), in which he and David played the twin leads Kutchek and Gore in a story of a tribe of traveling entertainers attacked by the tyrant Kadar.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) • [2](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/5196/peter-paul/) The *Los Angeles Times* described the film as a Conanesque action vehicle that was essentially a showcase for the brothers' bodies, and noted that the brothers claimed substantial creative control over it. Although the film was not a commercial success, the review noted it laid the foundation for their screen identity, and the brothers signed a three-picture deal on the strength of their ambition.[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-02-ca-4363-story.html) • [3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul)
**The Motion Picture Corporation of America comedies.** The company Motion Picture Corporation of America signed the brothers to a two-film contract that produced *Think Big* (1990) and *Double Trouble* (1992).[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) *Think Big*, the feature debut of director [Jon Turteltaub](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-turteltaub), cast them as good-natured truck-driver brothers hauling toxic waste while a teenage inventor (Ari Meyers) flees the think tank run by [Martin Mull](https://www.edgepedia.org/martin-mull), with [Richard Kiel](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-kiel) and David Carradine in pursuit; the *Los Angeles Times* review called the film slight but amiable.[6](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-07-ca-422-story.html) *Double Trouble*, directed by John Paragon, put Peter on the criminal side of the law as the cat burglar Peter Jade, whose identical twin David is a police detective forced to partner with him against a jewel smuggler played by Roddy McDowall; the supporting cast also included David Carradine, James Doohan, Bill Mumy, and Troy Donahue.[7](https://kinolorber.com/film/double-trouble) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/double-trouble/cast/2000091681/) Paragon directed the brothers again in *Twin Sitters* (1994), a comedy in which the muscle-bound twins babysit a pair of children; the film was their last joint feature, and Peter served as co-producer.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) • [9](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/68517)
The brothers also filmed a small scene for [Oliver Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/oliver-stone)'s *Natural Born Killers* (1994), in which they appeared in a gym interview with [Robert Downey Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-downey-jr)'s character; the scene was cut from the theatrical release and survives on the director's cut.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666795/bio/) Peter is credited in that film as one of the Hun Brothers, with the note "scenes deleted."[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/)
## Later work
After their film career slowed, Peter and David turned to personal appearances and tried to break into the music industry.[3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul) Peter's later acting credits include *The White Horse Is Dead* (2004) as Bookman and *Souled Out* (2005) as Dorian the Devil, a film he also co-produced, and he was credited as cinematographer and played Peter Palpin in the 2013 independent film *Faith Street Corner Tavern*, the brothers' last joint project, in which both appeared as themselves.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/) • [3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul)
The brothers' public image remained tied to the Barbarian Brothers brand. Writers covering action cinema have noted that they leaned into the contrast between their physiques and their comedy, from *D.C. Cab* through the 1990s trio of films, and that the pair wrote and performed their own theme song for *Think Big*, singing it with co-star Richard Kiel providing backing vocals during Japanese promotion for the film.[11](https://www.bulletproofaction.com/2018/06/10/scene-of-the-week-big-in-japan/)
## David Paul's death
[David Paul](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-paul-actor) died on March 6, 2020, in the United States, two days before the twins' 63rd birthday; Peter announced his brother's death.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666795/bio/) • [12](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/david-paul/umc.cpc.1mjf6d62ls34889yqwe1a6o9y) • [3](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul)
## References
1. [Peter Paul (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666947/)
2. [Peter Paul, FilmTV.it](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/5196/peter-paul/)
3. [Peter Paul: Životopis, Kinobox.cz](https://www.kinobox.cz/osobnosti/352122-peter-paul)
4. [Bodybuilders In The Movies, Fitness Volt](https://fitnessvolt.com/bodybuilders-in-the-movies/)
5. [The Barbarians Flex Their Brains, Los Angeles Times (June 2, 1987)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-02-ca-4363-story.html)
6. [Film Review: Barbarian Brothers Back in 'Think Big', Los Angeles Times (April 7, 1990)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-07-ca-422-story.html)
7. [Double Trouble, Kino Lorber](https://kinolorber.com/film/double-trouble)
8. [Double Trouble – Full Cast & Crew, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/double-trouble/cast/2000091681/)
9. [Double Trouble DVD review, DVD Talk](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/68517)
10. [David Paul – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0666795/bio/)
11. [Scene of the Week: Think Big in Japan, Bulletproof Action](https://www.bulletproofaction.com/2018/06/10/scene-of-the-week-big-in-japan/)
12. [David Paul Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/david-paul/umc.cpc.1mjf6d62ls34889yqwe1a6o9y)
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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: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames O to Pa*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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