Paul Raci (/ˈreɪsi/;[1] born April 7, 1948) is an American character actor. A veteran of stage, film and television, he has appeared in a variety of projects, including small roles in Baskets and Parks and Recreation.[2] In 2021, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Sound of Metal (2019).
Paul Raci | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 7, 1948 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | Sound of Metal |
Life and career
Raci was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Laurel and Mitchell Raci.[3] His family is of Polish descent, originally surnamed Racibożyński.[4] He was raised as the hearing son of deaf parents, and is fluent in American Sign Language.[5] Raci was a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy, attaining the rank of Petty Officer Second Class (HM2). He served aboard the aircraft carrier, the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) from 1969 to 1973, serving two tours in Vietnam.[6][7]
Raci received critical acclaim for his performance as Joe, the deaf mentor to the main character in Sound of Metal, released in 2020.[8] For this role, he received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor and other accolades, including an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male, and nominations for both the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. According to director Darius Marder, several high-profile actors were approached for the role, but for the sake of authenticity, Raci was selected because of his upbringing.
In 2021, he was selected by BJ Sam, the Nigerian international singer and producer, to represent the United States in the first universal Christmas music project with other global music icons including Bollywood playback singer Jaspinder Narula, Ghanaian singer Diana Hopeson, and Swiss actress Christina Zurbrügg.[9][10]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Rent-a-Cop | Waiter | |
| 1990 | Smoothtalker | Perry | |
| 1993 | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story | Bad Guy | |
| 1996 | The Glimmer Man | Internal Affairs Agent #1 | |
| 2004 | Fighting Tommy Riley | Bob Silver | |
| 2012 | She Wants Me | Paparazzi | |
| 2013 | No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie | Rudy Gold | |
| 2019 | Sound of Metal | Joe | |
| 2022 | Butcher's Crossing | McDonald | |
| 2023 | The Mother | Jons | |
| The Secret Art of Human Flight | Mealworm | ||
| Sing Sing | Brent Buell | ||
| 2024 | This Is Me... Now: A Love Story | Group Leader |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Baywatch | Dan | Episode: "Big Monday" |
| L.A. Law | INS Agent Gruber | Episode: "P.S. Your Shrink Is Dead" | |
| 1995 | Æon Flux | Tweeka / Onan | 2 episodes; voice role |
| The Marshal | Photographer | Episode: "These Foolish Things" | |
| 1997–1999 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn | Additional Voices | 6 episodes |
| 1998 | The Visitor | Dark Grey Suit | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 2000 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Lie Detector Operator | Episode: "Blood Drops" |
| 2002 | ER | Mr. Spencer | Episode: "It's All in Your Head" |
| 2003 | The Handler | Nicky | Episode: "Under Color of Law" |
| 10-8: Officers on Duty | Manager | Episode: "The Wild Bunch" | |
| 2004 | The Practice | Ralph 'Spinny' Spinaci | Episode: "New Hoods on the Block" |
| 2006 | Scrubs | Drunk Guy | Episode: "My Jiggly Ball" |
| Las Vegas | Kenny Roman | Episode: "And Here's Mike with the Weather" | |
| Lucky Louie | Cal | Episode: "Drinking" | |
| Heroes | Ernie the Weasel | Episode: "Chapter Six 'Better Halves'" | |
| 2008 | Life | Scruffy Man | Episode: "Jackpot" |
| 2009 | Free Radio | Homeless Man | Episode: "KDOG" |
| 2010 | Parks and Recreation | Eugene | Episode: "The Possum" |
| Persons Unknown | Sherman Golightly | Episode: "And Then There Was One" | |
| 2011 | Switched at Birth | Interpreter | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Rizzoli & Isles | Apartment Manager | Episode: "Welcome to the Dollhouse" |
| 2018 | Goliath | Dwight | Episode: "Diablo Verde" |
| 2019 | Baskets | Bart / Peter Gabriel's Drummer | Episode: "Homemakers" |
| 2023 | Perry Mason | Lydell McCutcheon | Recurring; 8 episodes |