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Paul Sparks, actor
Actor

Paul Sparks: Movies & Box Office

films
18
on screen
2005–2026
box office
$511M
average score
62
Born
October 16, 1971 (age 54)
Birthplace
Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.
Citizenship
American
Occupations
Actor
Years active
1998-present
Spouses
Annie Parisse
Children
2
Known for

The Best Paul Sparks Movies

The highest-rated films Paul Sparks is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Thoroughbreds (2018) scores highest, at 75. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.

Full ranking
Career at a glance

Paul Sparks's Career in Numbers

Paul Sparks's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Paul Sparks works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Headspace (2005) to The Mortuary Assistant (2026), and the 2020s were the busiest decade.

Paul Sparks Movies by Decade

  1. 2000s 3
  2. 2010s 7
  3. 2020s 8

The 2020s were Paul Sparks's busiest decade, with 8 films.

Paul Sparks Movies by Genre

  • Drama 12
  • Horror 1
  • Adventure 1
  • Crime 1
  • Action 1
  • Biography 1
  • Sci-Fi 1

Drama is the genre Paul Sparks has worked in most, with 12 films, ahead of horror (1).

Paul Sparks Career Milestones

First film
Headspace 2005
Biggest box office hit
The Greatest Showman $469M worldwide
Best-rated film
Thoroughbreds Movie Echo Score 75
Newest film
The Mortuary Assistant 2026
18 credits

Paul Sparks Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Paul Sparks is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Rated films average a score of 62. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Biography

Who Is Paul Sparks?

Paul Sparks was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S. in 1971 and is 54 years old. Credited on films since 2005, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Paul Sparks (born October 16, 1971) is an American actor with a distinguished career in both television and film. He's most renowned for his roles as gangster Mickey Doyle in the HBO's Boardwalk Empire, and as the inscrutable writer Thomas Yates in Netflix's House of Cards. Further adding to his impressive roster of performances, Sparks unveiled his versatility by portraying various characters ranging from upscale mall owner in Apple TV+'s Physical, to compelling attorney David Tellis in Starz's The Girlfriend Experience. Sparks has additionally engaged audiences with his recurring role in the limited series 'The Night Of'. His filmography includes enigmatic performances in films such as Deception (2008), Afterschool (2008), The Missing Person (2008), Mud (2012), Parkland (2013), Stealing Cars (2015), Thoroughbreds (2017), and The Greatest Showman (2017).

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Sparks pivoted from an early interest in chemistry to pursue a career in the arts. After high school, the prospect of studying chemistry at Oklahoma State University detoured when he made the bold move to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. In 1995, he graduated, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama. Sparks's career breakthrough came in 2010 when he landed the role of Mickey Doyle on the HBO drama series 'Boardwalk Empire', a series graced with the creative prowess of Terence Winter, Martin Scorsese, and Mark Wahlberg. He continued to captivate audiences in this role until the series conclusion in 2014. Off the screen, Sparks lives with his wife, actress Annie Parisse, and their two children. He has diabetes mellitus type 1, leading him to work closely with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In addition, his friendship with esteemed co-star Michael Shannon extends both professionally and personally as they've partnered on numerous endeavours.

Works with

Who Paul Sparks Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Paul Sparks shares the most films with. Michael Shannon comes first, with 4 films together, followed by Marin Ireland (3).

FAQ

Paul Sparks: Questions & Answers

How many movies Paul Sparks has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Paul Sparks been in?

Paul Sparks is credited on 18 films, from 2005 to 2026. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Paul Sparks's highest-grossing movie?

The Greatest Showman (2017) is Paul Sparks's biggest box office hit, with $469M worldwide, ahead of The Bikeriders (2024) ($36.2M). Across every film with box office figures, Paul Sparks's movies have made $511M.

Paul Sparks's biggest hits

What is the best Paul Sparks movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Paul Sparks's best-rated film is Thoroughbreds (2018) with a score of 75, followed by Giving Birth to a Butterfly (2023) (71).

Best Paul Sparks movies, ranked

How old is Paul Sparks?

Paul Sparks is 54 years old, born on October 16, 1971 in Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S..

What is Paul Sparks's newest movie?

The most recent film on Paul Sparks's filmography is The Mortuary Assistant (2026), in the role of Raymond Delver.

Who does Paul Sparks work with most often?

Paul Sparks shares the most films with Michael Shannon (4 films), Marin Ireland (3 films) and Christopher Denham (2 films).

The Best Paul Sparks Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 18 credits.

See the ranking

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