- Paul Raci is an American actor best known for his role as Joe in the Sound of Metal (2020) directed by Darius Marder, starring opposite Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke. Paul can also be seen in many TV shows including Baskets opposite Zach Galifinakis, Goliath opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Parks and Recreations opposite Amy Poehler.
Paul was born and raised in Chicago by Deaf parents and is fluent in American Sign Language. While in Chicago, he honed his acting chops at the local theaters and was a founding member of The Immediate Theater Company, where he was nominated for a Jefferson Award for their production of Children of a Lesser God. He also trained at Second City and has worked with several improvisation companies.
In Los Angeles, he has performed in over 12 productions with the locally acclaimed, Deaf West Theater including Of Mice and Men, Medea, Equus, A Christmas Carol, and most recently the acclaimed, award winning production of David Mamet's American Buffalo in ASL.
A Vietnam veteran, Paul is also a musician and singer with the band Hands of Doom an ASL rock, Black Sabbath Tribute band where Paul dazzles his audience with his outstanding, raw vocals and outrageously artful ASL. Paul has been married for years to Liz Hanley Raci. They have one daughter, Britta, who is also a singer, songwriter with the Indie Band It's Butter.- IMDb mini biography by: Paul Raci
- SpouseElizabeth Hanley(December 19, 1992 - present) (1 child)
- Gender / Gender identityMale
- Paul is a Legally Certified Sign Language Interpreter and has worked in the Los Angeles Superior Court System for over 25 years. He is the hearing son of deaf parents, Laurel and Mitchell Raci, and is fluent in ASL.
- Served as 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 1969-1973, serving two tours in Vietnam.
- Polish-American. His family surname was originally Racibozynski.
- Nominated for a 1985 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for "Children of a Lesser God" as James Leech at the Immediate Theatre Company in Chicago. In the same production, Marlee Matlin got her breakthrough stage professional start before her screen debut in the film adaptation of the play and the Academy Award for her performance as Sarah Norman.
- Was invited to join the actor's branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in 2021.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content