Paul Raci
Born (1948-04-07) April 7, 1948 (age 75)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Known forSound of Metal

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). In the same year, 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.[3][4]

Life and career

Raci was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Laurel and Mitchell Raci.[5] His family is of Polish descent, originally surnamed Racibożyński.[6] He was raised as the hearing son of deaf parents, and is fluent in American Sign Language.[7] 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.[8][9]

Raci received critical acclaim for his performance as Joe, the deaf mentor to the main character in Sound of Metal, released in 2020.[10] 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.

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
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

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1985 Jeff Award Actor in a Principal Role – Play Children of a Lesser God Nominated [11]
2020 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor Sound of Metal Won [12]
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Won
Florida Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Runner-up [13]
2021 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Austin Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Nominated [14][15]
BAFTA Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated [16]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [17]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Runner-up [18]
Detroit Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor Nominated [19]
Dorian Awards Nominated [20]
Georgia Film Critics Association Won [21]
Hollywood Critics Association Won [22]
Houston Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Male Won
National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor Won
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Won
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor Won
Seattle Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor Nominated [23][24]
St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Won
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor Runner-up [25]
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Sound Of Metal Supporting Actor Paul Raci Gets His Big Break After 40 Years". The Eddie Mata Show. January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  2. ^ "Paul Raci". IMDb.
  3. ^ "With Merry Christmas, BJ Sam sets global record". The Sun (Nigeria). December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "BJ Sam sets global record with Merry Christmas". Vanguard (Nigeria). December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Paul Raci on Instagram: "My Deaf parents Mitchell and Laurel Raci"".
  6. ^ "Wyborcza.pl".
  7. ^ Lopez, Kristen (December 8, 2020). "'Sound of Metal' Star Paul Raci Challenges Hollywood: Deaf People Are Sick of Saintly Portrayals".
  8. ^ ‘Sound of Metal’ Star Paul Raci Challenges Hollywood: Deaf People Are Sick of Saintly Portrayals. IndieWire. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  9. ^ 207: Actor Paul Raci 'Sound of Metal'. Archived 2021-04-29 at the Wayback Machine Pop Culture Confidential. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "Paul Raci Is The Guidance Of Deaf Souls In Sound Of Metal [Exclusive]". LRM. November 20, 2020.
  11. ^ "First Wave of Honorees Announced for the 4th Annual Hollywood Critics Association Awards". Daily Dead. 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  12. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 13, 2020). "'Nomadland' Named Best Picture at Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, Paul Raci and Yuh-jung Youn Among Winners". Variety. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "L.A. Film Critics Association Names 'Small Axe' As Best Picture Of 2020; Carey Mulligan, Chadwick Boseman Honored With Acting AwardsList". Deadline Hollywood. December 20, 2020. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  14. ^ Partridge, Jon (March 13, 2021). "2020 Austin Film Critics Association Award Nominations". Austin Film Critics Association. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  15. ^ Partridge, Jon (March 19, 2021). "2020 Austin Film Critics Association Award Winners". Austin Film Critics Association. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  16. ^ "BAFTA Nominations 2021: 'Nomadland' & 'Rocks' Lead Highly Diverse Field". Deadline Hollywood. March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  17. ^ "Critics Choice Awards: 'Mank' Leads With 12 Nominations, Netflix Makes History With Four Best Picture Nominees". Variety. February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  18. ^ "DFW FILM CRITICS NAME "NOMADLAND" BEST PICTURE OF 2020". Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "The 2020 Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS) Nominations". March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  20. ^ "Dorian Film Awards: 'Minari' Tops Nominations From LGBTQ Entertainment Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  21. ^ "Georgia Film Critics Association: 2020 Awards". Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  22. ^ "Hollywood Critics Association 2021 Award Nominations". ThatsItLA. February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  23. ^ ""Minari" Leads the 2020 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics Society. February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  24. ^ ""Nomadland" Named Best Picture of 2020 by Seattle Film Critics Society". Seattle Film Critics Society. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  25. ^ "'Nomadland' Takes Top Prizes at Toronto Critics' Awards, Riz Ahmed Wins Best Actor". Variety. 8 February 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.

External links

Awards for Paul Raci
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